Bad Dreams
by angelwings1
Summary: [AU]Slowly his life was being drained from the nightmares that plagued his sleep. With no answers to save their king, the council was forced to turn to the Mystic Valley, the place of a mysterious, magical race who is shunned by the world.[HV]
1. Chapter 1

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

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Chapter 1

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A dark cloud swelled from the garden, staining the clean, white tower with its ugly black fingers. The rose petals curled inside the golden flames, becoming ash in seconds. With the wave of a mighty thunder, the outer wall collapsed revealing the red sunset.

There were a handful of people scattered in the garden. They were throwing dirt at the edge of the flames, trying to keep it from reaching the pearl castle.

The sky was swallowed by the black smoke.

A red monster stood in the garden, the flames licking its glinting muscles. The monster roared at the mighty edifice. The citizens screamed in fear, dropping their full pails of dirt as his clawed hands struck. An entire mountain of mud and flower was upturned in a single sweep and crashed down on the helpless people.

Beyond the broken wall were numerous black silhouettes against the falling sun. There was identical to the red giant in the garden, except they appeared darker, almost black.

The focus was the castle, standing angelically innocent in the heart of flame and monsters. The walls were seeping in tears, feeling every ounce of pain that cried out from its citizens.

Slowly the bricks began to swell, bleeding together. The towers began to bend and stretch unnaturally on their foundation. The tallest tower curved high into the storm clouds, a stark-white angelic creature against the black doom. It flung the clouds with a mighty shake and soon a triangle shape formed at the end. A pair of red lights glowed at the newly formed head as a dagger mouth opened. Legs, wings, and tail quickly followed and in seconds a white dragon roared a challenge at the red monster.

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Instantly, her eyes snapped open. The heavy feeling of sleep lingered, but she was wide awake in the dark with her heart racing. She forced herself to stay laid down as she frantically tried to remember the last remnants of the dream. There had been fire, smoke, a castle, a white castle.

There was a sudden a flash of dagger teeth crashing down at her and she jerked up in the bed. There had definitely been a white castle. Then there had been a red giant. She combed her fingers through her hair as she fought to remember the end, the piece that she unconsciously felt was imperative to keep.

It had something to do with the castle. Everything in the dream pointed towards it.

A sudden creak and flash of light interrupted her thoughts. Throwing up her arm against the bright light's irritating glare, the young woman squinted at the figure charging into her room. She didn't need to spot the tail to know who it was.

"Good you're awake!" the girl cried as she reached the foot of the bed. "Hurry!"

There was no need to explain. She knew the moment the door had creaked that she was needed. Hitomi lurched from her bed, knocking her covers carelessly to the floor. In three huge strides, she had crossed the room to her orange and brown robes spread out on her chair. She didn't even worry about her night dress as she threw the robes over her head and passed out the door. The cat-girl was close behind, the silver candle holder tight in her hand.

The pair of soldiers waiting outside the door, politely bowed to the catwoman as she passed and Hitomi offered a hasty nod, though they had offered her no sign of respect, as she sped up into a jog down the shadowy corridor. Silently the soldiers took their place behind the pair of girls.

The air was heavy with fear and anxiety. With a pounding heart, Hitomi frantically picked up the pace, stepping out of range of the candle light and into the flickering shadows. She didn't need the light to show her the way. She had followed this path a billion times in the last weeks.

She didn't even need the candle light to find the cold metal of the door in the darkness. Once her hand closed on the golden handle and yanked it open to the private stairwell, a single cry burst into the open air.

Hitomi took the steps two at a time, her green eyes set on the handcrafted double doors at the top. Suddenly the cry grew quiet and she stumbled on the final step. A second cry broke barely a heartbeat after the silence had settled. The light caught up with her and together the two girls barreled against the doors.

Scrambling into the room, Hitomi met a familiar sight. A handful of soldiers leaning over a satin white bed, hands clutching at thrashing, tan limbs. Council members stood near the wall, looking to her anxiously.

Another, louder cry lurched from the bed and Hitomi flinched when saw a naked torso arched to the ceiling. Somehow, one of the legs escaped a knight's grasp and the youth received a smart kick in the chin. In the center of the master bed, under the Fanelian white gold seal on the headboard, laid a twenty-year old man. His face was streaked in tears and his body flushed with fever.

Hitomi wasted no more time and scurried to the bedside. Her bare feet faltered as they brushed against the edge of the gigantic red carpet, always feeling inappropriate to touch a man's, especially a king's, bed. She stared openly at him and felt her heart squeeze. His beautiful ebony hair was wild and matted to his sweaty brow. His jaw was tight once his hoarse shout faded and he threw his head aside, eyes always screwed shut.

The young woman gently guided the nearest knight aside with a firm hand and brought herself to the bed's edge. Everyone watched intently as the woman carefully crawled into the white sheets on hands and knees. The sleeping man threw his body closer to her, instinctively drawn to the woman as she fought to reach him.

Hitomi looked to no one as she pressed a gentle kiss to her pale fingertips and stretched out to his tossing face. The moment her palm covered his hot brow the man froze. Two sparks flared in unison as their minds touched. Slowly his body eased down against the mattress, his jaw relaxing.

Bowing over him, the woman silently spoke a prayer. _'Sleep without dreams. See only darkness and know only peace. Forget what you saw as you keep your eyes closed.'_

Merle leaned forward unconsciously as she saw the woman closed her eyes. This would be the fourth time she had seen her do this, but this was the first time the council had been present. Since the stupid fools doubted the foreign woman's skill, Merle had made sure they would witness this important moment.

Hitomi's jaw tightened as she whispered the final words. "Let me have that which torments you. Give me your dreams. Give me your nightmares."

The sparks flared beneath her hand and the king's brow pressed hard into her palm. Images flew into her head in a painfully hot rush and Hitomi was tempted as she always was when this happened to pull away. She stubbornly leaned harder on his brow, taking each memory with bitter responsibility.

She wasn't surprise to see the same dream. There were flames and the flag of his kingdom burning in the sky. A dark haired beauty lied crumpled at the foot of the thrones. Bleeding in his seat, sat a bearded man with a crown. His eyes were lifeless and glassy like a doll. Black armored men were ransacking the room and their eyes glowed vicious red. The woman's face leaned into her mind, pleading desperately to the intruders to spare her sons.

Merle gasped as the seer turned sickly pale.

Hitomi's heart leapt into her throat when, in the dream, a sword struck down on the beautiful woman. Red covered a clean, white patch of floor. A yell burst from the small boy across the throne room. The sword was pressed hard against his neck and she could see the wild look in the captor's eyes. The boy's blood would have been spilt if the blue-haired youth hadn't come raging into room. That scant moment between life and death for the twelve-year-old was enough for the youth to kill three black armored soldiers. Reaching the center of the throne room where the fire circled, the young man cried for the boy's life to be returned.

The red soldier, the one who held the boy, laughed at the desperate plea. "And the Lord swept down like a sword of fire and cleansed the kingdom of devils."

"Folken!" the boy yelled desperately as the blade dipped into his flesh.

Hitomi pushed desperately against the image, forcing into the dark corner of her mind. Her eyes snapped opened, but her sight was blurred. If it was tears or sickness, she could not be sure. Her hand jerked away from the man's brow and carefully slid down the length of the head board. Several of the knights stood at ready to assist her or to restrain the king again. She could faintly hear the council members whispering amongst themselves and easily caught the sound of her name falling from their lips. Hitomi carefully pulled away from the now silently slumbering king and brought her bare feet to plush carpet. Glancing over to the cat-girl as her vision tilted, Hitomi realized she should never have taken her hand off the headboard.

Having lost all sense of equilibrium, Hitomi fell to the side, directly into the soldiers. She didn't even bother to grab onto them for support, but allow them to catch her. Her mind was swimming dangerously close to unconsciousness and she was frightened to let it take her. More than once it had taken her captive for days.

A pair of warm hands wiped at her face and Hitomi instinctively turned towards them. Blinking rapidly, her eyesight zeroed in Merle's scowl.

"Hitomi are you alright?" she asked urgently.

The seer's vision became unfocused again and for a single breath she felt the burning ache of the little boy's heart. Hitomi bowed her eyes away from the girl, unwilling to answer with the truth or a lie. The hands angrily ripped away from her face and Merle whirled on the council.

"This is too much!" the cat screeched, silencing their mutterings. "This is making her sick."

Determinedly, Hitomi gritted her teeth and pushed herself to her feet, but the soldiers never took their hands off her arms. Her eyes squinted against the candles in the room, focusing on the growing argument.

"She is paid adequately for her services," a council man retorted "and we give her full access to our healers and medicines."

Merle glanced to her anxiously before shouting back. "It is not fair to bring this upon another."

"Do you ask us to ignore the king?" another man replied coldly. "He has been this way for two moons now. This is the only thing that brings him any peace, both night and day."

"This will not last forever!" the cat-girl exclaimed louder. "She can't spend her entire life here!"

Hitomi stared on in silence, torn on what to say. Her fingers unconsciously slid up to her pendant, rubbing her thumb over the smooth surface.

The council looked her over for a few moments, uncertain. The first man stepped forward, pointing shamelessly at her. "She will stay until this is resolved or do you know of some better way, Lady Merle?"

Her green eyes darted to the ground as the weight grew heavier on her shoulder. Merle's eyes filled with fire, "Do not speak of her as if she is some sort of tool!"

"Let it be, Merle" Hitomi interrupted softly.

The cat-girl turned, distraught. "What?"

The Council patiently stared at the seer as she slowly lifted her chin.

"It is my choice to be here" Hitomi answered firmly, though a fraction too softly. "If needed I will stop, no matter what binding is left on me."

The small girl desperately scurried to the seer. "You cannot continue to do this. Sooner or later, you're body will give out."

Hitomi shook her head lightly. "I know, but for now I wish to bear it."

Merle nervously searched the seer's emerald eyes and seeing the determination there, the cat-girl surrendered. She quietly bowed to the woman and stepped aside as the seer walked towards the door. Merle angrily bit down on her tongue in bitter resentment as she watched the woman bow respectfully to the council all the while supported by a pair of knights.

Hitomi proudly walked out of the room, feeling their eyes upon her back. She could almost hear the rude remarks they silently slung at her, but she would not let them see her pain.

Let them think what they wanted.

Merle stared after her, a sob swelling in her throat. Hitomi had not been with them for very long and already the cat-woman felt a deep responsibility for the seer's well-being.

It had been nearly a full moon since Hitomi had first stepped into the throne room, draped in her foreign tan and orange robes that resembled those of the monks' from Freid. The council had been very stand offish to the strange seer from the Mystic Valley, going at great lengths to avoid any contact with her. The girl wasn't stupid and it had been painfully obvious that the young woman was nervous at her first appearance in the castle when she fidgeted with her boyishly-short hair and red pendant.

There had been rumors circulating about the Mystic Valley's citizens for decades. Once the king of Fanelia had become plagued by nightmares that kept the kingdom awake at night and superstitiously afraid during the day, the council had looked for any cure. They had been desperate by the time they had turned to the north and called upon the mystics. Twenty soldiers had been sent to the villages there, asking from house to house for help. Hitomi had been the only one to leave with them.

Appearing before the council, she had graciously offered her help, declaring she had the gift of dreams. The old men had stared at her pointedly and grudgingly agreed, calling upon Merle, the king's foster sibling, to be her keeper.

She had been more than happy to take in the anxious woman. Merle excitedly showed her around the palace, explaining its lengthy history with overly zealous narratives. The cat-girl also took the time to explain her brother's problem, pointing towards the bedchamber where he remained hidden away. Hitomi had listened quietly, taking in her surroundings with tentative eyes. She appeared to be uncomfortable with enormity of her setting, often stopping to stare at the vast rooms with disbelief. Merle giggled at the seer's gasps.

Merle, though unfamiliar with the Mystic Valley's culture, was very excited to find a new friend. She was incredibly lonely on the large green estate, minus the rare times her brother was able to escape the duties of being a king, and to find a young lady equally anxious to find a friend made the cat-girl's energy triple. At every available moment Merle was by the seer's side.

Even though she felt out of place, Hitomi quickly became comfortable in her setting, turning to the gardens' flowers when her care taker was unavailable for pleasantries. She found the castle bustling with people oddly cold, catching sight of the uneasiness in people's eyes as they watched her linger in the halls, staring at the elegant décor. She would rather have spent her private time in mediation, but she couldn't find a secluded spot away from annoying stares. The garden, at first, had appeared to be ideal, but it appeared that there was always some maid trotting by with laundry or a gardener digging through the dirt once she had sat down. She knew the castle's occupants were suspicious of her and finding every available opportunity to study her, but she was getting fed up.

She was blessed to have the cat-girl for talks else she would have felt the entire world watching her. The cat-girl didn't appear to mind of her origin. She asked questions, yes, but she didn't make her question sound intrusive. She asked about her family, what she liked to do for fun, normal everyday questions. She stayed away from the obvious differences between them, allowing her to pick the time to talk about such things. It was a welcoming relief.

Once she grew at ease with the cat-girl, Hitomi quickly opened up her culture to her. Merle had listened attentively as she explained her hair was cut short in respect of her late grandmother and her robes were traditional of priestesses and priests from the valley. She spoke of her village often, talking mostly about her brother and parents taking care of the Temple of Fortune while she was gone.

"Temple of Fortune?" Merle had inquired as they helped the cooks with supper.

"Yes" the woman had answered softly as she kneading a pound of dough. "It's quite similar to Fanelia's temple to the White Dragon God…err… Escaflowne, was it?"

Merle nodded.

Hitomi pushed her palm harder into dough as she continued, "Centuries ago, the valley was settled by the Draconians, a winged, mystical race of people. They were a sacred race blessed with surprising gifts—some were able to predict the future, to heal small wounds, influence the weather, and many other things ranging from small to miraculous. Over the centuries, the Draconians became aggressive with their skills, using them against other countries."

Merle handed the finished dough to the maid before inquiring. "How so?"

Hitomi stopped for a moment to thoughtfully stare at the ceiling. "Um… well for example, I heard of an incident when a king from the east of the valley requested the assistance of a dowser to find his lost granddaughter. The Draconian who appeared before the king refused to find the granddaughter unless he was given a dozen guymelefs."

"That's outrageous!" the cat-girl exclaimed.

"Yes" Hitomi nodded walking over to basin to wash her powdered hands. "I am ashamed to say that my ancestors were very selfish."

"Ancestors?"

"That's right. My people, the Mystics as we've been called, are lengthy descendants of the Draconians."

Merle's eyes suddenly became wide as she leaned forward with a hungry smile. Hitomi smiled nervously, "What?"

"Do you have wings?" the cat-girl whispered excitedly, grabbing the girl's wet hand anxiously. "Do you!"

Hitomi smiled softly and gentle tugged her hand away. "No one in the last eight generations has seen wings."

The seer never noticed how the cat-girl's shoulders slumped.

"Oh" the girl mumbled disappointedly.

Not hearing her, the seer continued, "The Draconians were struck down finally one day. They were so vain and power hungry they tried to make themselves as powerful as gods and attempted to control things they shouldn't have."

The cat's ears pricked up.

"Like what?" she gasped.

Hitomi drifted towards the back door of the kitchen and opened it to the warm garden. Hastily washing her own hands, Merle followed.

"Most of them were things never done" the seer answered quietly as she passed down the rows of flowers. "I heard of one bringing the dead back from the dead. Another tried to control time. It wasn't long before they became so hungry for control that tore down the god they worshipped."

A chill ran up the cat's spine as the seer's voice dropped, "That's when Atlantis was destroyed. A great fire erupted in the capital of the valley and before anyone could blink it was gone. My ancestors had failed to honor their gifts from the gods and thus, were punished."

"That's such a sad story" Merle whispered, her tail dragging.

"It is" Hitomi agreed softly as she bent to smell a rose, "But my people believe that we have favored once again with God because more and more babies are born with miraculous gifts."

"Like your power to take away dreams?" Merle interrupted. Her cat eyes narrowed on the seer as she flinched.

"Yes" Hitomi replied a little too firmly for the cat's taste, "Like my gift to take dreams."

The seer quickly turned her back on the girl and Merle hurried to reply.

"But I see that also as a curse" Merle exclaimed to the woman's back, stopping the seer. "I've seen what it does to you. To take away his nightmares you must suffer them."

"It is my way of paying for my people's dishonor" Hitomi replied over her shoulder. "God is willing to give us what He first gave, but now we must honor them by accepting the pain. I like to see it as a way of keeping us from using our powers for wrong. God has given me the strength to bear the pain because it is for the good of others."

She turned to stare at the cat. "That is also why I continue to go take the dreams from your king because God wants me to use this power to help."

"Surely your God did not want you to suffer so" Merle insisted.

"Our wingless backs are proof enough of what we must sacrifice" Hitomi whispered. "We must remember our dishonor. I will continue to tend to your king until God no longer wants me here."

Merle stood fixed to the ground as the seer walked stiffly towards the lone brick path at the end of the garden. She didn't dare challenge the woman's passion for her faith, but she felt so desperate to shield her from any further torment.


	2. Chapter 2

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

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Chapter 2

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The sun had not quite reached the sky when he pushed open his glass balcony doors. A blast of cool air bellowed through his room, combing through his messy hair. Cringing, he wrapped his arm tightly around his sleeveless nightshirt and stepped out.

There were barely any cries from the birds that early in the morning. Leaning against the rail, he exhaled deeply and hung his head. Every since the seer had begun stealing his dreams, he had been waking up before the dawn. At first it had been pleasant to wake up to the heavy silence. He could almost sense the world's heavy eyes fluttering open at this hour. This was the time of day he felt most comfortable.

Once he taken the throne the council had been on his back at every available moment. He had been one of the youngest kings to reign in Fanelia and his council, along with most of the kingdom, had been fearful of their ruler. The kingdom had been in mass hysteria when the entire royal family, save the youngest son, was murdered. Not only were they worried about his capability of bearing the weight of the entire kingdom at such an early age, but also because it was so close after traumatically witnessing his parents and brother's deaths.

However when everyone was waiting for him to fail, he had proved his worth. In less than a year he had regrouped his people, defeated his family's killers, and restored his kingdom. It had been nearly five years since he first took over Fanelia and his people were, already, one of the most prosperous countries on Gaea.

It caused a great deal of festivities and brought a happy peace to the citizens' hearts, but at what cost? For years, he had buried his emotions and accepted his responsibility. They had expected him to grieve and he did, by fueling all his energy into fixing his kingdom. He had never faced the truth of his situation. He had pressed his shoulder firmly into his duty ignoring the pleas of his head general and friend, Balgus, to take the time to mourn.

He had been strong. He had been able to withstand everything and still bring his kingdom back into high standing in Gaea. The consequence was that his mind couldn't handle it anymore. He was able to keep himself in check during the day, but there was no way to protect his dreams.

His eyes squeezed shut and his fingers tightened on the rail. He had been foolish to believe he could be strong enough to bear it this long. Now he was the burden his kingdom had feared. The council had been careful to keep his condition secret, but it wouldn't be long before gossip would reach outside the castle and he was powerless to stop it.

Taking a deep breath, King Van Fanel stared down on his garden, losing the confidence he had held for so long. His dreary thoughts quickly faded from his mind, though, as a flowing figure appeared down beneath his balcony. The morning was still shadowy so he couldn't distinguish what color robes she wore, but he knew instantly it was the seer. She appeared to be freezing with her fists clenching her toga wrap tight, but she still refrained from wearing long sleeves. At least she had enough sense to wear shoes, even if they were sandals.

He was tempted to call out to her, but he instead silently followed her path with his eyes as she headed towards the lone gravel at the end of the garden. He had never spent any of free time conversing with her in all the long month she had been here and to start now felt odd. It wasn't that he was afraid of her witchery. He just felt ashamed every time he was in her presence. She was the one who could see his torment, know how weak he was. No one knew the weak points of his heart, yet, she could undo him with barely a word if she chose.

The wind picked up and her feet quickened along the path.

His heart dropped when he shamefully realized she did have every chance to destroy him. Their conversations had always been chaperoned by, at least, Balgus and Merle. He was stupid to believe this woman would willfully hurt him when in every time they had spoken she had calmly asked for permission to speak with him.

When he had first met the woman, he was shocked to meet such a young seer. He had always heard that Mystics' powers grew with age. He had expected to meet a woman reaching her nineties.

She had been dressed in the same robes he always saw her in: cream color sheets wrapped around her body like a monk. The sheets tied over her left shoulder, wrapping around the front and cascading down the back. Her right shoulder was bare, exposing the graceful sweep of her neck to hungry eyes.

Even with her obvious naivety to the royal society, the seer had been polite, and somber. Her eyes were filled with excitement at the view of his elegant home, but they were also sharp. He could not deny the depths of their brilliance or their beauty when he had wearily stared down at her from his throne.

"You are a seer?" he had asked feebly, unable to find any energy left after a sleepless week.

"Yes, lord" she replied, respectfully dropping to her knees.

Finding his throat dry, he had nodded to his general to continue.

"How can you help us?" Balgus had asked gently.

The woman had quietly stood and that's when he had noticed her bare feet. They were stained dark brown and wrapped in bandages. She had obviously traveled a long way and on foot.

"I can help by teaching his majesty to protect his heart" she had answered, ignoring the king's gaze.

"His heart?" a council member had scoffed loudly. "It is nightmares that plague him!"

"But dreams are the result of a trouble heart" she replied easily, not at all disheartened by the man's arrogant glare. Balgus glanced uncertainly to his king, but Van didn't notice. He was still looking at her feet.

The man snorted. "I believe you have things wrong here, madam."

"Then next time don't call me so far from my home if you think I don't know what I'm talking about," her emerald eyes had narrowed on him.

The man shuffled on his feet and glowered down at her. Balgus quickly stepped in to intercept the growing fight. "We mean no disrespect to you, my lady--"

"I fail to see that" she had snapped beneath her breath. He never would have known she had said it if Merle's big ears had not caught it and she had not laughed about it later. She had been quite impressed with the girl's spunk.

"For a month we have searched fruitlessly for some cure for our king" Balgus had said gently. "You are our last solution, and what you offer is hardly what we expected."

The seer had frowned and turned her sparkling eyes to the silent king. "What could you possibly have expected of me, my lord?"

Van lifted his face to her and sighed. "For a little over a month my dreams have been unlivable. I've tried to keep them secret, but I have begun to scream in my sleep and am unable to wake myself."

Her face softened as she listened and he wondered what she was thinking. Did she pity him? Did she think him weak? At that moment, he was so undone by lack of sleep that he didn't care. All he wanted was a cure to save him from this mess.

"My dear lady" his voice dropped to a soft whisper, "my health is quickly failing and with it my kingdom. I have no wife or children to rule in this time and I am far from suitable to handle a kingdom. I do not know what all you can do or how protecting my heart can help, but if you can offer me sleep or some way of handling my nightmares than I plead with you to do so, if not for my sake than for my kingdom."

Her eyes stared at the ground and he wondered how his words could get her brow to pinch in a scowl. The council and his four generals anxiously waited for her answer. Van was fully ready for her to say there was no cure. He was expecting to die with his nightmares. When her face lifted, her audience swallowed and held their breath.

"I can offer you more" she stated, her words carefully spoken. "But I warn you it is only a temporary solution."

They said nothing, but their eager eyes stared expectantly. Hitomi lifted her chin and swallowed. "I can steal his dreams."

Balgus jumped in first, "Steal them?"

She nodded stiffly. "Whenever he dreams I can take them away and he will sleep an empty sleep."

"That's perfect" exclaimed one of the general.

"Finally!" shouted another.

"You are too fast!" she insisted frantically. "To steal a person's dreams is no better than letting them sleep nightmares. Dreams are the result of the heart's troubles. Sooner or later, possibly years from now, his heart will make him sick and destroy him."

"But he won't have nightmares anymore?" a council member interrupted.

Hitomi sighed softly. "Well, yes, after a time, he will no longer need me to steal his dreams. He will dream without dreams."

Instantly the advisors and generals began to buzz excitedly. The seer's hand quickly shot up. "But wait!"

Their heads turned to her, keen on setting out with the plan. Hitomi looked at each pointedly.

"To steal his dreams will not take away his pain" she stated firmly, her eyes desperate. "I cannot erase what lies in one heart."

"By then he will have learned to handle whatever stress is on his heart" one man grunted already stepping away from the king. Balgus knelt beside his lord, whispering feverishly, but the noble was busy staring at her.

Several of the council sought to follow the first, but the king quickly rose. "Wait!"

Everyone froze.

Hitomi stood perfectly erect as she noticed his eyes were stonily set on her. Unsteadily, Van stepped down from his throne, the council tentatively seeking to help him, and walked towards her. She nervously watched him, feeling like he was stalking her like some predator. Taking the center point between his council and her, the lord asked loudly. "Did you walk all this way here, my lady?"

The seer scowled, glancing towards the rest of the men and seeing their own confusion. Looking back at the king she replied honestly, "I did, my lord."

Van's jaw tightened. "Do you not have any shoes?"

Hitomi's scowl never lifted. "No, my lord. I do not have the coin to spare."

"And did not my soldiers accompany you?" his voice could barely hold down the fury beating in his chest.

Realizing what he was getting to, Hitomi's lips went into a tight line and she looked pointedly passed his head. "They did."

"On horseback?"

"Yes" she answered.

He angrily looked towards the pair of knights guarding the chamber doors and growled. "Have those men brought to me."

They nodded obediently and ducked hastily out the doors, praying hard for those soldiers' well being. The young seer stared at the king in surprise.

"My foster sister, Lady Merle, will tend to your needs, my lady" he replied, offering his hand. "And the first thing she will get for you is shoes."

Hitomi nodded and placed her hand in his. "I thank you, my lord."

"No, it is you who deserves thanks" he said gently. Hitomi blushed innocently at the contact and watched with fond amusement as he took a moment to study the intricate tattoo of angel wings wrapped around her wrist.

Straightening, he added, "We are gracious for you to have come at such great lengths to offer your services, lady…?"

"Hitomi" she offered with a smile. "I wanted to help. I knew it was no easy task called upon and hoped I could do something."

"I hope as well" he replied softly, loosing what was left of his strength in standing. "But I feel it may be a hopeless task."

Finally his hand released hers, but the warmth of the touch lingered.

He remembered how his council kept their distance of her as she was escorted out by his sister. More so, he was aware of how disrespectfully the soldiers who brought her to Fanelia had jumped out of her path when they had entered. Once she was gone, he violently shouted at them for their dishonor, exclaiming how it was unfit of a knight to never offer his horse to a woman, especially to one barefoot. Each of the knights had shamefully kept their silence as the king ordered them to hard labor for punishment, but he knew what was going through their heads.

_"I will never let that witch near me or my horse."_

Van sighed again as he saw her approach the temple at the edge of the forest. He wondered how the servants treated her. He had caught word from his sister that they kept their distance or set curious eyes on the seer.

"Do they bother her?" he had asked.

"Surprisingly, no" the cat had replied. "She appears to either not know or not care. The later is what I assume. She keeps mostly to the garden or to the kitchen, helping with the chores, but that's when I am with her. When she is on her own, she heads for the temple."

"The temple?" he was astounded. "Why would she go to the temple of our god? I would have thought it would go against her religion."

Merle had shrugged. "She seems eager to go there when she can. She never says why."

Did she feel at home in their foreign alabaster sanctuary? Was there a temple back in the Mystic Valley she kept to? He felt as if there was something significant that they were all ignoring.

The only time he spent with her was when she came to him to teach. That was about three times a week. Each time she had asked what he dreamed about, but never much more than that. Balgus and Merle had always been there when they had their short conversations.

"What did you dream about this time?"

Sitting on the edge of his messy bed, he leaned heavily on his hands as he braced them on his knees.

"I saw my family murdered again" he had mumbled sleepily. He hardly wanted to talk about those disturbing images, but he knew this woman would only ask this if it was necessary. "I saw them kill my mother."

"Who killed them?" she asked gently, eyes watching him like a hawk would a mouse.

"Black knights" he whispered, pressing his face into his palm. "They were Zaibach soldiers."

She glanced at the ground in thought. Merle and Balgus looked to each other.

"What else did you see?" she had asked gently.

Van didn't answer. His thoughts angrily settled on the face of the man who had been his brother.

"There was someone else in your dream" she had prodded firmly. "Who was the man with bluish hair?"

His heart had shuddered when she said that. She had seen into his dreams. She had flinched, almost as if she had felt the shift in his emotions. Hitomi's jaw had tensed and Balgus had quickly noticed. Slowly the king's eyes had lifted to the seer.

"My brother" he spat out.

Her eyes had softened and she had blinked rapidly as though trying to hold back tears. Hitomi said nothing after that. She simply bowed and left, leaving him empty and angry. Balgus and Merle were beginning to grow impatient saying she was being cruel to him to make him relive such nightmares.

But days after her last appearance, he disagreed. He was certain there was some reason as to why she specifically asked these questions. She didn't appear to enjoy bringing up the subject.

* * *

Hitomi walked noiselessly into the temple. The satin white curtains cascaded down on either side of her as she stepped under the tall arch. It was a glorious temple, head to toe in white marble with gold trim. She had never seen such beauty. The temple back home was splendid, but did not compare to the rich detail woven into the delicate hand-carved dragons spread throughout the main room.

Her eyes instantly went to the pearl stone figure on the farthest wall, a spiny dragon with outstretched wings. The coldness of the stone floor swept up through her bare feet, having respectfully left her sandals at the door. The massive head stretched out from the wall, eyes hungrily set on her as she stepped beneath the central, scarlet skylight.

At the foot of the beast was a shallow pool, no deeper than few inches. It curved delicately around the statue, disappearing

There were only a few feet between her and the stone jaws gaping at her. Her hand instinctively went to her pendant as her heart waned.

"The dreams are coming every night now" her soft voice hung in the still room, echoing off the high ceiling. "Every night I see the same destruction, the same monster in the fire."

Her hands clenched the pendant as she turned teary eyes to the white dragon. The face appeared deaf to her, making her heart squeeze.

"I know you are no God of my people" she whispered desperately, "By my law, I shouldn't even speak to you."

Still the eyes stayed frozen, distant.

She bit her lip and tears slipped from her eyes. "But if you are the protector of this kingdom, then please hear me. The fate of Fanelia is plummeting and someone will seek to tear down its new kingdom."

She felt small beneath the dragon's gaze as he stared right through her.

"Will you not listen to me?" she sobbed. "Escaflowne, God of the Sky, please hear me."

The silence was deafening and the last shred of hope in her heart wilted. Defeated, the young seer dropped her head, letting her brown hair hang in her eyes. She numbly watched her tears make dark spots on the polished marble floor. Her fingers fell limp from their prior curled fists.

She had been praying hard for over a week. When she had first had the dream she had hoped it was just another one of her suppressed fears following her into sleep, but after a full week of repeated nightmares, she could not deny the growing possibility that the frightening images were a vision. Hitomi sobbed weakly.

_'Dear God in Heaven, help me. Show me what I should do.'_

Each sob racked through her heart and rattled down her weak limbs. She wondered if she would suddenly just die from the sorrow eating away at her chest.

_'They will never accept the word from a **witch**.'_

Through the blur of her tears, she focused on her reflection in the smooth marble. Her hair was in desperate need of a comb and her eyes were bloodshot. She was a mess.

"What should I do?" she whispered to the reflection, staring desperately into her own eyes. She wished desperately for someone to guide her.

Abruptly, a faint noise clicked behind her. Hitomi hastily wiped her cheeks clean. Whirling around and combing her hair with her fingers, the seer hurried to duck out of the temple. She didn't care if someone did judge her for meditating in a foreign shrine. It was her business, but she did worry about making others uncomfortable. She would rather leave the temple all together to give someone privacy than demand a share.

"Lady Hitomi?"

The seer glanced up and froze in mid-step.

"My lord" she stumbled over the words as she stared openly at him. "I didn't think you would be up before the sun."

"I didn't think you would be either" he grinned warmly, his hands settling comfortably behind his back. "You can imagine my curiosity than to see you walking towards the temple moments earlier."

Hitomi blushed. "Sleep has been hard to find these last few days. I usually would go to my temple back home to meditate when I was uneasy."

He nodded gently and momentarily studied the intricate tattoos wrapped over her wrists and forearms. Each time he saw her, he found his eyes tracing the brown lines. They were mostly images of angels with wings stretching. He had never seen such beautiful, rural designs in all his travels.

On the back of her right hand an angel bowed with its wings spread out in a forty-five degree angle. There was no hair or facial features to distinguish the sex of the figure, but the curves of the lines suggested a young woman. The angel was encased in the center of the pentagon of a star, her wings stretched out parallel to the horizontal points. Her left wrist was wrapped in flowing lines of angelic wings, stars blending in and out of the designs. When she turned the palm into view he caught a glimpse of a simple star.

Her naked shoulder was bathed in the most intricate of designs. Tiny, detailed angels and stars surrounded an empty circle. The blank area drew his eyes into a trance and he thought he saw within the ring her flesh ripple with life.

She immediately became self-conscious under his gaze and nervously rubbed her arm. When her hand passed over the circle, his eyes refocused and he noticed her shyness. Van quickly turned away, giving her plenty of room as he came to stand at her side, facing the statue as she faced the exit. She watched him expectantly, growing edgy with each quiet second that passed.

He smirked and glanced at her through the corner of his eye. "Please, don't let me spoil your meditation."

Swallowing the lump in her throat, she glanced at the door, anxious to disappear from this mysterious king. Even if she had seen into his secret nightmares, she still knew little to nothing about this young man.

"I would rather not disturb you if you came here to find comfort in the sanctuary" she replied calmly, feeling her heart ease. "So if you will allow it, I shall leave you to the peaceful silence."

She quickly went for the exit, barely concealing her anxiety from the king.

"I would rather you stay" his soft words caught her off guard.

She stopped under the arch, the curtains reaching out and tickling her stiff arms. Her eyes peeked over her shoulder, unable to understand what he had just said.

"What?" she mumbled as she stared at him incredulously.

It was his turn to become nervous and Van shifted uncomfortably. He immediately turned to the stone dragon, pleading for advice.

"There are few I am willing to console with here" he confessed, bringing his back firmly to her face. "I am a man who is seen as an indestructible figure."

Hitomi suddenly had lost her need to leave, feeling her heart yearn to hear his voice. There was so much pain laced hidden beneath his words and she desperately wanted to ease it.

"You are still just a man" she said gently. "Just because you were born with royal blood, doesn't mean you're perfect."

"That's why I come here alone" he replied weakly. "If they saw me come here and pray for guidance and courage, my people would doubt their king. My kingdom already doubts."

Hitomi's heart broke with each word. She couldn't understand how any king, especially one as young as he, could stand so tall against the pressures. She was a novice seer and she could barely hold her own as it was.

"My kingdom deserves a future" he continued boldly. "I don't want to burden them with my problems when they've already had plenty."

He was man who deserved a childhood, a family. He wasn't meant to suffer this trial so early. It wasn't fair. Was she the only one who could see that?

"You can't stand alone forever" she suddenly burst out. Hitomi gasped and quickly bowed her head in shame. Van turned to her with a shocked face as Hitomi stared furiously at her toes. "I'm sorry. I hardly know anything about courts and royals to be spouting advice so rudely."

"No" he shook his head, eyes bright like sapphires in firelight. "You're right."

Hitomi slowly dared a shy look up at the king. She was slightly confused at his grin. Van chuckled, "You've already convinced me that I should value your advice."

"Really?" Hitomi blurted.

"Of course" the king answered, stepping towards her. "You have brought peace to my sleep."

Hitomi shook her head. "It might be a difficult task, but it doesn't prove your trust is valid."

The king's eyes softened and she quickly became aware of how special his eye color was. She had never seen eyes such a lovely shade of reddish-brown.

"Yes it does" he insisted warmly. "You could have refused to help me, especially after how rude my soldiers were to you."

"I suppose that's true" she whispered, hiding her warm face. "But I've dealt with that before. Besides, I wasn't looking for an award for this job."

"But you deserve civility, at the very least" he insisted, stomping in emphasis. "You've helped a stranger when you knew you might get no payment. You've also done as you promised to help my sleep."

"But I have yet to teach you how to protect your heart" she interrupted loudly. "It's been a month now and I have yet to fulfill the whole of that promise."

His worried eyes lingered on her flush face, seeing her tired frustration. This woman was so strange to him. Her appearance made her so different, but when he looked deep into her green eyes he could see only a strong woman.

"I have no doubt that you will keep that promise" he spoke softly.

In that instant Hitomi realized just how grave of a job she had taken. Maybe she hadn't meant to place herself in such an important position, but here she was. She might have thought she was coming to save a single man, but instead she was learning with a sickening astonishment that she was brought here to save a kingdom.

Shakly, the seer rounded her shoulders and gave a tiny smile. Van almost thought he saw a few tears in her eyes.

"Just remember, my lord, we are not so different" she stated with a foreboding tone. "I may be able to steal nightmares and read dreams, but I am still only human."

She, then, whirled out of the sanctuary.


	3. Chapter 3

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

* * *

Chapter 3

* * *

Since their morning in the temple, Van and Hitomi had begun to regularly see each other. With her nightmares growing, she knew hard times were closing in. She couldn't be sure what it was that was coming, but it would give her little time left to help the king. Because of the king's busy schedule, their lessons started near the late afternoon, right before dusk. Hitomi always made sure to give him the freedom to include anyone in their time spent together. She knew what it would appear to the council otherwise, and she, personally, did not want to deal with anymore of their glares than necessary. However, Van preferred to keep their lessons private. He was hardly one to bear his soul to anyone. If he had to do this, then he would do it alone.

The lessons were hard from the start as Hitomi had warned the young king. There was no way to make the work painless. To heal the pain in his heart she needed to teach him to look at the past he had been ignoring for so long.

It had first been about his present work being a king. She asked him how his days were or what it was like to learn about court edict, but it soon turned ugly as she began to ask the questions no one had ever dared to ask him.

"Are you tired of being a king?"

"Do you wish you had died instead of your parents?"

He instantly fought with her. He would answer with one word or excuse himself from the conversation completely, but she was always quick to corner him.

"I can steal your dreams for only so long, my lord. When you begin to regularly sleep without dreams and wake up before the sun it is a bad sign."

He flinched at her words. It had been a week since his last nightmare and he was already use to getting up before sunrise. Was it possible that he had already fallen to the trap?

"What does it mean?"

Hitomi rubbed her arm involuntarily, "It is usually a sign that you've learn to ignore the pain. You're able to hide it so well that even you have become unaware of it, but in truth it is still there draining you."

"What will happen next?" he asked thickly.

Her face quickly hid behind her bangs, "You will grow painfully ill and slowly waste away."

He swallowed hard, "You've seen this?"

"Yes" she strained to say, dodging his eyes, "More than once."

His bones seem to weaken at her soft admission.

"Has anyone survived this curse?" he asked a bit quickly.

"Very few" she mumbled, head still bowed, "Those who did survive were ones who had great discipline, like warriors and monks."

It was frightening to hear her words. He was barely a man by age and even though he was an excellent fighter, he still doubted his strength. He was a man of action and physical labor. When it came to meditation, he had found his mind lacking; partly why he kept to the seer when time was available.

She was, undoubtedly, one of the wisest women of his generation. Perhaps, they had barely conversed, but it was the way she carried herself that hinted at it. She was confident, kind, and surprisingly content. Whenever there was a problem she didn't reveal a sign of panic. She would calmly evaluate each situation and take it on with firm determination. There was a small air of sadness hanging over like a dark cloud, but he marked it as being homesick.

She was always quiet, distant. The more time he spent with her, the more he wanted to see her smile. Since she rarely smiled, he assumed it was a great treasure meant for only the most precious of moments. His memory of the time in the throne, the only instant he had seen her smile, was quickly slipping from his fingers. He didn't want to think of her as a prisoner in his home.

"Why did you ask me all those questions about my dreams?" he asked on one of the first days they were spending together. It was sunny outside and they had been sitting next to the brook in his backyard.

Hitomi dealt out another round of cards in a cross pattern. Taking a brief moment to observe the new faces, the seer replied. "I saw the images each time I stole your dreams, but I wasn't sure what I was seeing. I assume most of it, but I needed to make sure everything was what I thought it was. Dreams can be misleading because they can be memories and imagination rolled together."

He stared at her profile, a fire in his eyes, "You researched me, didn't you?"

"A little" she answered honestly. Her focus didn't leave her cards as she replied calmly, "I have to know my patient to understand how to help him."

"How much?" the king mumbled coldly.

The woman's hand stopped over her deck. Looking up with sad eyes, the seer whispered, "I know you wish for people not to know your weak emotions, my lord, but you cannot hide forever. This is why your nightmares have gotten so bad."

His eyes didn't loose their hard edge, but his tone softened. "I've told you before I cannot allow my people to see my… pain."

Hitomi nodded, placing another card down. "I know, but you have to open to someone, anyone."

He whirled on her, unable to hold back his childish fury.

"I've told you about my family's murder" he snapped, "Isn't that enough?'

She sighed and thought back to how easily she had learned about the murder, "Sadly not when everyone else knows it."

Frustrated, He looked away. Hitomi studied him, "You have to dig deeper. It's apparent you can't get through this pain on your own, else I wouldn't have been called upon."

His hands curled into fists, clenching at the blowing grass. Her eyes watched his knuckled turn white as her heart cracked.

"I'm not challenging you're strength as a king" she coaxed, "In all honesty, I think you're amazing for being so young and inexperience. There are few who could do what you have."

He blinked in astonishment and slowly brought his face back up. Unaware of his surprise, the seer had returned to her cards. No one had ever given him such a compliment. Not even Merle. She had called him a good king, yes, but never one as great as the seer had just claimed. Counselors and citizens had always offered advice and demands, hardly encouragement. It was refreshing to hear. Van narrowed his sight on her, automatically uneasy. Was this woman just looking for favor in his eyes?

"You are so eager to prove yourself to everyone" she continued, "but unless you accept your limits, you will die to your own criticism."

Van mulled her words carefully in his head. "How?"

Shuffling a new round, Hitomi answered, "Confess to someone your worries."

She didn't get it.

"I can never do that" he remarked frantically.

Hitomi felt the weight in her heart press tighter against her lungs. It was still a mystery to her as to why he was so determine to bear this weight alone. Sooner or later a person breaks from such a strain, but he remained surprisingly firm.

"How about Lord Balgus? Or Lady Merle?" she asked. "You seemed to be closest to them."

He shook his head. "I've tried to tell Merle before, but she too set on the fact that I can do anything. I'm her last tie to family and with it I've become her foundation. She terribly frightened on her own. She might appear confident, but I think that's only because she close to me, a man who can rule a country.

"If she discovered I was weak, she would become terrified I would leave her. It's already hard for her when I'm gone away on battles or diplomatic crusades."

Hitomi scowled, _'No wonder she clings to him. He's not only her brother and father, he's her leader. If she can't believe in him, there's no one to turn to.'_

"Balgus is like a second father to me" Van continued, "I've talked to him about things, but… I guess I'm afraid to disappoint him. Whenever I mention about wanting to live a commoner's life, he becomes stern with me. When I do that, I feel as if I've let him down."

Hitomi nodded, thinking back to her home in the valley. "I understand."

She smiled. "This is good. See you're already opening up a little and you barely know me."

"But you're asking the right questions" he shrugged, "I don't really think this is what will help me."

She pouted, "Maybe not, but it's better than nothing."

He hung his head, fighting with his pride.

"I became a seer when I was eleven," her gentle voice instantly melted the burning ache in his heart. Hitomi looked out across the brook, watching the gardeners work the flower beds. Her dull eyes were barely aware of their movements. Instead she was watching an invisible, faraway scene.

"It's not a job you can sign up for" she explained. "In the valley, children are destined just like a king. We don't have much of a say once the elders come and declare our gift. From that day, we train our gifts, spending countless hours burning every ounce of energy into a fate we don't understand."

She could remember the moment her eyes had first connected with an elder. It was time she had come to know fear. She had barely been four, but she knew they were the ones to decide if a child was taken away. More than once she had been a witness to a child being ripped from their front doors and their parents' cold indifference. She had been terrified she would one day wake up to a new power and be taken from her home. She didn't care what it meant to have a power; she didn't want to leave her home.

The morning she saw a dream become reality was the most terrifying moment in her childhood. As she watched her brother fall from the tree in their backyard, she had instantly recalled the dream. The cold truth was too much and she fainted on the spot.

She had been able to hide her gift for nearly a year, but soon her power had manifested. Soon she was having waking dreams. There was no way to stop the trances and before long she got caught by her family. It was easy to excuse it as a lack of attention or being too distracted, but the day she screamed and fainted after one of her vision there was no lie to save her.

Days later the elders came for her.

"You're like me" Van hollowly stated.

Hitomi nodded, "We were both born into great responsibilities. Both of us would gladly give up on our birth rights, but we care about the people around us."

"Surely you could give up being a seer" Van pushed gently, sensing how delicate the subject was with her.

"Perhaps" Hitomi admitted softly, "But why would God give me this if not to help others. Wouldn't it be wrong of me to give up on something so special?"

Her eyes darted to him and Van could see the same desperation in her eyes he held in his heart. Suddenly, the young king who had spent five years alone could see someone who knew his struggle. This was someone who knew the daily price of fighting to live. He had lost all hope of ever meeting someone who could understand; especially help him through his trials. Merle and Balgus had tried to help as they best as they could, but he always resented their assistance. They didn't bear such a heavy weight.

"Confide in me, Lord Fanel" the woman commanded. He snapped his face to her, unaware of how close they were to each other. Her hand grabbed his and he willingly let her. Their eyes locked for that short breath and he could sense a bond growing between them.

No matter how hard he tried to push her away, she kept clawing back to him. She would slowly grow closer to him, breaking down each layer covering his heart. He knew it was her job to this, but he was slowly becoming more and more aware how her presence was comforting some faint ache in him.

Hitomi instantly blushed under his gaze, "I know I don't know you very well and you can deny me if you want."

He stared at her, unsure. Even though they had grown closer than normal acquaintances, he still wasn't ready to give up on anymore wall between her and him. There was so much that could happen if he gave into her. She would leave, too, in the end. No one stayed longed enough. He had to be strong enough on his own feet else everyone who depended on him would drop. His crown demanded it.

She could the clash in his eyes. Maybe begging wasn't the best way to convince such a proud man. _'Lord, help me.'_

In the end his mind made a split decision, and the king rose to his feet.

"It's not that I don't appreciate you coming here, Lady Kazanki" he stated with a suddenly strong voice, "But I feel as if you are taking this a bit far."

Heart wilting, Hitomi frowned, "I believe I know what I'm talking about, my lord."

"Even so, I think this is unnecessary to continue" he replied. As he tried to walk away, Hitomi hastily rose.

"Are you so quick to forget the last two months of nightmares?" she shouted.

He stopped. The images came rapidly to his memory. Every ounce of torture they had thrown at his face, however, was suddenly empty from his heart. He felt a deep relief in himself to be able to handle the images. Proud of his accomplishment, he easily pushed the nightmares back behind the door.

"Just because you have a few free nights, doesn't mean anything!" she yelled, hands fisted. "Don't let your advisors poison you. Don't stand on your feet and try to believe that it doesn't bother you, but it does!"

He flinched, emotions instantly squeezing the life from him. The images returned, this time with rapid flash of pain and sorrow throughout his being.

"Stop blaming yourself for their deaths!"

"NO!" he snapped.

Hitomi's mouth clamped shut the second his glare whirled on her. Her body shuddered in fear as she saw the fury burning there. His hands twitched anxiously at his sides and his chest heaved with exertion as if he had just been running. Angrily, he stabbed a tan finger at her, "Don't presume to understand me so perfectly, madam."

Hitomi's eyes dropped momentarily, ashamed, but quickly gained back their courage. Her chin lifted proudly. "I think I, at least, know you better than anyone here."

"Just because you know what its like to be born without the option of living the way you want, doesn't mean you can come preach to me about dealing with pain!" he growled softly.

When most men would have fainted under such a glare, she remained confident. She wanted to run away, but knew she couldn't. He probably never had anyone in his life stand up to him and there was probably no one in the entire city that would. He was a king, after all, but he was not her king. She would not let him escape under his mask. "Someone has to tell you."

The steam built up in him and Van, unable to think of anything else to say, stormed away. Hitomi decided to let him go. There was nothing left to say. It was his decision in the end to continue with their lessons. Watching him strode rapidly towards the castle, the seer hope she would be able to somehow convince him later to consent with furthering his lessons.

Several of the servants noticed their king's anger and quickly looked to her with disapproving glares. She ignored them and allowed a deep sigh of relief. It was scary to go against a man who could easily call for her execution.

Sighing, she looked towards the silent temple out on the furthest end of the field. She was tempted to take a visit. She was a bit shaken and could definitely use the meditation to calm her nerves. Unfortunately, she had promised Merle to see the market today. The cat-girl must have thought she was growing bored.

Grudgingly, the seer picked up her cards and followed the path the king had previously taken. Keeping her face emotionless and high, Hitomi passed the servants and ignored their dagger-throwing-glares.

Having a sixth sense about trouble going on in the castle, Merle surprisingly found her in a few short minutes of entering the main hall. The cat-girl began pleading about the king's foul mood, explaining she had ran into seconds before and had been rudely brushed off by her brother.

Hitomi quickly ducked her eyes away, a tiny spark of guilt squeezing her chest. Maybe she was a little hard on him. It had only been a second week since they had began to work together, but on the other hand, the man had been stubborn for days.

"You still wanted to go to the market, right?" she replied smoothly, hurrying towards the front exit. "You said something about a new robe?"

The cat's eyes grew huge in excitement, "Yes! Yes! Fanelia and several countries will be discussing a peace treaty. By the end of the week, there will be quite a few noblemen staying in the castle and we can't have you in rags."

"My clothes just need good scrubbing and some thread, Merle" Hitomi replied hotly. "There aren't that bad."

"Yea for travel clothes" Merle growled, "I will not have you looking like some hand maiden."

Grabbing her wrist, the cat began dragging the girl towards the door. Hitomi struggled desperately for freedom, as a vision of her in a frilly dress came to mind.

"Merle, I **am** a servant!" she cried hastily.

"You're a guest" the cat insisted, her tail twitching, "I refuse to have those nobles snub their noses to you just because of your origin."

Hitomi's anger quickly subsided, "Well, if you have to get me something to wear, please, no dress."

Merle's tail twitched as she glowered at the girl, "It would be far easier to get their approval if you wore one."

"There approval doesn't matter to me" Hitomi replied quickly, "If I have to be in their presence I will honor my people with traditional robes."

The cat's shoulders dropped, "Alright, but we will do this in the fabric I choose."

The seer smiled, "Okay."

* * *

Van fell hunched over the nearest table pressed against the hallway's stone wall. He shuddered as the angry slid down his spine and dropped heavily into his empty stomach. He was still trying to catch up with what had transpired out in the garden. How could he have so foolishly lashed out at her?

She had scared him. He knew that was the source of his sudden outburst. When she had leaned towards him and offered the chance to give in, it had frightened him like no nightmare he had encountered.

He clutched at his head in distress. He wasn't even sure why it had scared him so badly. He had just felt the overwhelming instinct to run as fast as could. The only way he had been able to escape was to strike down her assumption, ignoring how right she was.

"I'm a fool," he whispered angrily. He would have to apologize later to her.

He cringed at the thought. To apologize to her would mean accepting what she had said. He shook his head violently. It didn't matter if he had to or not, he had to apologize.

"Lord Van, are you alright?"

The young king slowly lifted from his crouched position, realizing instantly how it must have looked. He forced a smile as he turned to face his general, "I'm fine, Balgus. It's been a bit of a rough day."

The old samurai frowned at his king and narrowed his one good eye on him. With everything that had happen it wasn't surprising he didn't believe his majesty. "You're certain?"

"Yes. Yes," Van growled quickly, "Please, Balgus I don't need another person worrying about me today. Did you need me for something?"

The general stood a little straighter at the irritated tone in his king's voice. He might have raised his king since the royal family's murder and had the right to disapprove of his tone, but to Balgus he was still a general beneath his king. It was a difficult balance, constantly needing new appraisals. For now, he would let the sharp tone be ignored in exchange for the fact his king had been under a great deal of stress.

"The council wishes to discuss with you matters of the treaty, Lord Van?" he replied, his loud voice booming through the hall.

Van nodded, thinking to the far region to the northwest. There were several nations coming to the meeting to sign the treaty, but there was a single, dark realm he wished would not be part of it, even if it did mean possibility of war without their signature.

"Let's head towards the meeting hall then," Van answered faintly, his mind elsewhere. General Balgus bowed to his king and fell in step beside him. Together the two headed down the long corridor, content to be silent.

* * *

The walk down the slopping path into the village was relatively peaceful. Merle would point out specific stores she favored, spending most of the time talking about her favorites. If it wasn't for Hitomi's insistence the cat might have bought out the shops for her. She was amazed at how important it was to the noble to show her off. Merle's dedication to her got Hitomi thinking of her friends back in the valley and a stab of loneliness flared in her chest. She wondered what Yukari and Amano would think of such a large city.

The valley was full of villages, huts of stone and mud, but there weren't bricked streets that connected the towns. Warriors weren't clothed in uniform or armor, except when going into battle. Fanelia was beautifully organized while her valley had been more rural. Here, people were enjoying their lives, but there was professionalism to the city that kept her in awe. She was amazed by the number of carts loading and unloading merchandise and food. Open fields and cliffs had been her playground, but a city so diverse and full was alien to her senses.

The biggest focus was the machines. Whenever her eyes caught the glimpse of the giants called guymelefs, Hitomi would stop to admire them. There were children stories in the valley about metal warriors roaming the outside world. She had always enjoyed those stories, believing that if a man could become great his body would become as formidable as steel and as powerful as fire.

Sadly, she was disappointed to never see the giants do much more than walk by. She was thirsty to see them battle. Surely, the sight was wondrous.

"We will have to also get you a new pair of sandals for the occasion."

Hitomi snapped her attention back to Merle, realizing her thoughts had wandered.

"But I have several pairs already" she said.

The feline nodded, eyeing a nearby booth, "Yes, but we need a fresh pair that will accent your outfit."

Hitomi was just about to insist on using one of her pairs from the castle, when Merle grinned excitedly and shot towards a merchant, "Wait here."

She never got a chance to argue as the seer wearily watched the noble disappear into the tiny brick shop. Hitomi sighed loudly, "This might prove to be a hard lesson in patience."

* * *

Van rubbed his brow as his irritation rose with each new argument the council spoke. The meeting was suppose to be an overview, but instead it had turned into a list of benefits and disadvantageous to acquire from the treaty.

Darrius was concerned about loosing the cheap cotton trade with the Bosron. Torus and Horrius were arguing over the price for the Juganton's iron. A half of his council was discussing the need to up the army's training incase the treaty should turn sour. Even with all the shouting and angry faces, there was single country everyone was tiptoeing around.

Van knew why they were avoiding the issue of Zaibach. It was shamefully obvious that they were afraid to upset him. Their blunt avoidance of it, however, was making him furious. He didn't care if the relationship to the dark kingdom and his family's murder had pushed him into this sickness; Zaibach was the one country they had to be most concerned about because of that history! He would not let their fear ruin their now restored kingdom.

Pounding both fists onto the table, Van forced an immediate halt to the council's heated discussion and sparked interest in his generals' eyes. Together the full table rose with the young king, watching attentively as he closed his eyes and exhaled deeply.

He was not in the mood for this kind of torment. They had been over the outline of the treaty already a dozen times and hadn't gotten closer to speaking about Zaibach then the day they had started. Why the council had decided to have another pointless meeting was beyond his temper would allow.

"I believe that is enough for today gentlemen," Van grated out as he shoved several papers from his reach. "I have more matters to see to today and I will not be held up if we are going to discuss the same things we have discussed for the last week."

No one dared to speak against the king. Their eyes gave away that they knew why he was so viciously angry. Van slowly glared at the circle of men and carefully kept his voice calm as he said, "Tomorrow we will discuss the matters of Zaibach that we have all so childishly overlooked. Until I feel we have resolved the issue of an old enemy joining our allegiance, I will not speak of any matter while in council."

A few nodded hesitantly while others glanced around. Van ignored them all. He was a king who decision overthrew any opinion of his advisors. Heatedly, he snapped, "Now I suggest you each form a thorough report of what is to be expected from Zaibach for tomorrow. If I feel any of you is lacking in your efforts you will see I have proven to be a most effective motivator."

One of two of the advisors gulped nervously. Lord Van had not been a successful king just because of his charm. It was the foreboding fear of his temper that kept his people on their toes.

"Yes, my lord."

Van's dark scowl quickly turned to his four generals, "I believe the next agenda was to see to the perimeter for the upcoming arrivals of our guests. Wasn't it, Balgus?"

The samurai nodded with a slight bow, "Yes, Lord Van. We have already started moving the guymelefs into position and if it would please you we can go to the outer market to overlook their progress."

* * *

Glancing around, Hitomi decided it wouldn't be bad thing to browse while she waiting for Merle to return. Maybe if she was luckily she could find a cheap trinket to bring Amano. She had already decided to give Yukari some of her sandals, and she doubted Amano would fit in them.

Smiling, Hitomi leisurely began down into the market place, eyeing the booths and windows with eager eyes. Among the food carts, there was a great deal of fine jewelry, something Fanelia was known for. For once in a very long time, Hitomi wished she had some extra money. The craftsmanship of the silver was so delicately exquisite that she wished she could take one small piece to bring back and show to the village.

One piece in particular caught her gaze as she passed: a ring shaped in a pair wings. Her hand unconsciously went to it and held it up to the sky, dazzled by how the light glinted off the flowing curves. Unknown to her, an innocent smile overtook her face. Turning to the owner of the booth, a large bulky man who was a full head taller than her, Hitomi grinned and asked, "How much?"

The man scowled down at her, "I think it's too high for you."

She blinked, confused, "But how much is it exactly?"

His eyes darkened, "I said it's too high for _you_."

She was about to asked a third time when her brain caught up with the heavy tone he had pressed into the last word. There was distinct distaste in his eyes, directed pointedly at her. The seer gently put the ring back on the table next to the other items, and calmly excused herself, "Good day."

Turning back towards the shop Merle was in, Hitomi hastily made for a retreat. She was well aware of the number of eyes on her now. Cursing under her breath for being so foolish, Hitomi prayed she would find Merle soon.

Unfortunately, to her fluttering heart's dismay, a pair of men suddenly stepped into her path. There were both quite taller than her and were stock, appearing to be farmers. Hitomi's first reaction was to duck her eyes and try to step around them, but one of them hurried to block her way. It wasn't hard to notice the townspeople slowing down, turning to her. She could hear feet closing in and she hurried to try again to pass.

"Where you going, witch?" one of the men growled, his tone heavy with danger.

Hitomi's fingers anxiously dug into her robes. Normally she would have lashed out for being called a foul name, but she was frightfully conscious of the crowd forming around them.

"Please, let me pass" she requested firmly, eyes looking at their muddy boots.

"What business do you have here?" the other hissed.

Even with her heart thundering the warning in her ears, Hitomi angrily brought her gaze to the two angry faces before her and stated, "That is not your responsibility to know."

"I think it is" the first rumbled, stepping towards her threateningly. Hitomi hastily stepped back, but she kept her eyes leveled. Warily, she watched him study her as he began to walk in a circle, "You're a mystic, right?"

She didn't answer, feeling it was obvious with her tattoos, as she darted a glance towards the spectators. The people were keeping to the edge of the street, but it appeared they were eager to help cage her. Hitomi looked towards the shop, praying Merle would appear. The cat-girl was a noble by right and could easily call these people off.

"Answer girl!" the man thundered, making her flinch.

His monstrous hand yanked painfully on her forearm and she was brought nose to nose to him. Her eyes were wide with surprise. She hadn't expected him to be so quick to anger. No one had ever dared to touch her in all the times she had been confronted. Now all the confidence she had had seconds before had evaporated as she stared deep into bottomless pits of fury.

"You're one of them!" he howled. His voice had to have reached to the mountains.

Frantically trying to shake off his grip, Hitomi squeaked, "Let me go!"

"You're the Devil's child!"

Hitomi's eyes squeezed shut as the words tore through her. _'They're only words. Words can't hurt you!'_

He threw his weight against her and she tumbled to the stony ground. Her elbows struck hardest, and she prayed she didn't break under the blow of rock and bone meeting. Her dull eyes studied the dust between the bricks, her mind unconsciously thinking of countless other confrontations.

_'Only people can hurt you.'_

People were a foolish bunch. It only took a few words to drive a crowd into such violent hatred or desperate fear, yet she knew no words that could save her from it.

Suddenly, she was aware of how scared she really was. She had endured outcries in crowds before, but she had never been physically assaulted.

_'You can't go to Fanelia.'_

That's what her village had angrily shouted.

_'You would turn your back on all your beliefs?'_

They couldn't accept that after five centuries of solitude, a mystic had chosen to venture from the valley. The last one to do so had never returned. It was believed to be blasphemy to leave the paradise their god had created for them.

_'If you go, then be prepared to never know your birthplace again.'_

She couldn't accept that God would give them something so rare to keep to themselves. _'They need help. Will you say that giving our hand is sin?'_

_'Their king suffers for reason. God does this.'_

She had been so furious with her town the day she had left. They had been terrified of the outside so they allowed excuses to make their decision. That same fear had now condemned her as an orphan.

How could they know it was God's will for the king to die? Couldn't it be God's desire to help the king?

Slowly the seer picked herself off the ground. She could hear the mutterings as she rose. The two men watched her with doubt.

She dusted the dirt from her robes, ignoring the pain in her arms. Silently, she began discussing how she would have to thoroughly scrub her clothes to get all the stains out. Looking up from the dirt spots, she stared at the men fearfully. _'Why did I come here? To prove a point?'_

She saw the punch coming, and she knew she could have easily ducked, but her body stayed frozen. She never cried out when the blow struck. She didn't want to give the men the satisfaction of hearing the pain they were inflicting. Again she collapsed to the ground, and she was tempted to stay there. It would be so easy just to lay there and pretend she couldn't stand. Maybe they would leave her alone if they thought she was truly hurt. After a few minutes, however, she pushed to her feet.

It was becoming harder to see. Everything was blurring in her right eye, possibly from the pain in that side of her face. Vainly she tried to shake away the dizziness, but it instead caused her to stagger.

The two men edged closer and quickly got on both sides of her, trying to throw her off. It was hardly necessary. There was no way out of this. There were too many people and no hero in sight.

Head throbbing, she leveled her eyes back on the man who had first confronted her and found his angry brown eyes. She wanted the man to hurt for the pain that racked her. In a darker part of her heart, she could see her copy run him through and pound her fists against him until he screamed. A part of her was thrill at the thought, but her better half cringed with disgust. She had never been a fighter.

Spitting blood on the ground, she turned to the larger man of the two.

"Hit me if you want" she mumbled weakly.

His eyes widened along with his friend.

She almost thought he wouldn't try again. Perhaps in some perfect world, the man might have seen his wrong and begged for forgiveness. She could have forgiven if he had. Sadly, this was reality.

In seconds, a sinful fury took his heart and his fists flew for her. It struck her under the same eye and set off an explosion in her head. Another got her just below the ribs and she doubled over. The air disappeared in her lungs and she could feel needles in her throat. Next, what she assumed was a knee, plowed into her face. Flying backwards, the blue sky sprung to her view, and momentarily she believed she had shot towards Heaven. The only way that she was positive she was still alive was the faint feeling of her back hitting the ground. Rolling to her side, she feebly went to rise on her knees, only to be stopped by a kick in her back. Another powerful foot hit her shoulder from the opposite side, slapping her onto her spine.

Every part of her body felt like it was exploding. Her eyes fluttered and she saw at the end of a dark tunnel one of the man's hands at his side. There were red flecks over the knuckles, most likely her blood.

How far were they going to go? Maybe they didn't even know.

The world tilted and she realized she was being pulled up by her hair. She coughed and tasted metallic. Red sprayed on the man's light shirt as she sputtered. The crowd was cheering, but it was a faint ringing in her ears.

Her heart sank. They were cheering. These two men had challenged her. They were the ones who had been violent. She had done nothing to provoke them. She had barely used a tone with them, yet, the people cheered as they beat her. Beyond the man she could see even soldiers lifting fists in approval.

Was it only in children's stories that knights saved the damsel in distress?

Her answer came in a flurry of punches to her stomach. In the overwhelming wave of pain, Hitomi realized the other man was the one holding her hair. Vainly, she tried to will her mind into some deep crevice, but as she curled her mind into the darkness the pain and cheering followed her there.

She couldn't understand exactly what had brought this fury in these people to hate her. Didn't they see she wasn't trying to stop them?


	4. Chapter 4

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

* * *

Chapter 4

* * *

Even before her eyes slid open, she became aware that she was no longer in the marketplace. As she woke, Hitomi numbly wondered if she had dreamt the whole thing. The stiffness in her limbs was an easy hint.

She blinked slowly, taking in the dim ceiling. It was probably dusk now. She must have blacked out. Merle probably had found her at last, and stopped the whole fight.

_'Thank God. I doubt they wouldn't have stopped until they killed me.'_

Carefully, Hitomi pulled her body up, wincing with each tug of pain it took to sit comfortably. Looking down, she saw she had been dressed in a plain nightdress, which tied high at the collar. Carefully she pressed her palm to her throbbing ribs and felt bandages beneath. They had really taken a toll on her.

Peeling back the covers she revealed her left knee wrapped tight and her right ankle in a splint. She scowled. When had that happened? Did they beat her after she had lost consciousness?

Her shoulders sunk wearily. Why didn't her foresight warn her about this? She could have avoided this whole mess. Darn it. It was always visions about others, but never for her.

Bitterly, she pushed her body to the edge of the bed, hissing with the movement. Her throat felt like sandpaper. Looking at the dresser against the opposite wall, she eyed her usually full pitcher. It was only five short feet, but that was hardly comforting. If her body felt this bad in bed, she couldn't imagine what it would feel to stand.

She glanced at the door, wondering if she should call for help. It was highly likely there would be a maid waiting outside. Glaring back at the pitcher, the seer grumbled. She didn't really want to be seen in such a condition. She felt… dirty. She might not have been raped, but it didn't make her feel any higher than horse manure.

Hitomi closed her eyes, counted to ten, and took a deep breath before pressing her palms firmly against the mattress. She had barely risen to a respectable stand before her knees buckled beneath her and she crashed to the cold, stone floor. Sucking in a deep breath, she clamped her mouth shut to muffle the scream.

_'Why can't floors be made out of pillows?'_

Footsteps vibrated through the floor, angering Hitomi's growing headache, and soon her bedroom door crashed open, loudly bouncing off the wall.

"Hitomi!" Merle squealed as she scrambled to help her, "You shouldn't be trying to walk."

"I was thirsty" she croaked, struggling to her knees. Her elbows screeched in protest and she collapsed again to the floor. Every inch of her body was throbbing and her voice sounded like a caravan of wagons had run over it.

"They cracked your kneecap, you stupid girl!" Merle hissed, pulling the seer's arm over her shoulders. As they slowly picked her off the floor, Hitomi foolishly tried to stand again. To her weary dismay her knees gave out for the second time and she nearly took Merle down with her.

"Well, it feels broken" the seer grumbled as she clutched to the cat for dear life. Swaying dangerously under the seer's weight, Merle yelled for help. Hitomi's vision began to blur when several maids raced in. Just as gravity was about to win, the maids came to their rescue and caught the seer. Sometime during the mass of warm hands grappling for her, Hitomi's vision darkened.

"I'm so sorry, Hitomi" she heard faintly just before she lost consciousness.

* * *

His jaw tightened with ever whimper of pain that rose from the bed. Merle pulled a new wet towel from the water basin and rung out the cold water. Carefully turning in her seat at the edge of the mattress, the cat gently draped the cold towel over the seer's burning forehead.

Hitomi shivered at the contact and mumbled incomprehensively words. Van's fists curled tighter at his waist with each painful syllable that passed from her chapped lips.

"She hasn't woken since earlier?" he asked softly, hoping not to disturb the battered woman.

Merle shook her head, staring down at the woman, "Every so often, she'll open her eyes, but she's delirious with fever."

Van shook his head violently, his dark bangs dancing over his anger-filled eyes. If he hadn't stumbled upon her… If he had been a few minutes longer in the minutes…

"What would cause someone to do this to her!" he stated low and raw.

The cat-girl shrugged dumbly, her eyes filling with tears, "I don't know, Van-sama."

"I knew people could be foolish" he growled as he looked out past the window into the speckled sky, "but I didn't want to believe my kingdom would be so quick to inflame."

Merle studied the woman's battered face, noticing how it was already a sickening brown, "There is fear in the people. I found out today that there was rumor about her involvement in the castle."

His eyes snapped to his sister, "How? The council knows the dangers if her purpose was discovered and none of the servants would dare choose to gossip after the meeting I had with them."

"There's a leak" she replied gently, "We should have realized this might happen."

"Not this!" he snapped angrily, glaring down at the seer, "No person should have right to do this."

_'She didn't deserve this.' _The unspoken line subconsciously echoed in their ears.

The room hung taunt between them. A familiar rush of helplessness enveloped the duo. Hitomi had been lucky this time, if you could call it that. She had survived the beating with only a few broken bones. If the whole spectacle hadn't been interrupted she would have likely been killed. Technically, she wasn't, yet, out of the woods. She was still fighting a dangerous fever and suffering from massive blood lost. There was still a chance she could die.

What had happened in those few short minutes that Hitomi had been separated from Merle? What could cause grown men to viciously pound a woman into the ground?

"H-hot…" Hitomi weak words tumbled from her mouth, turning both the nobles' heads. Merle hurried to refresh the towel, dipping it back in the cold basin.

"Sh" the cat-girl whispered soothingly in the seer's ear as she pushed back the woman's sweat soaked bangs.

"Hot" Hitomi grumbled louder, her hand feebly reaching for the rag. Merle thought she was attempting to press more of the rag to her forehead, but to both the surprise of the king and his sister, the seer ripped the towel from the cat's claws and slung it to the floor with a loud slap.

Her eyes rolled opened and Merle gasped. The seer's glassy eyes were a frightening gray. Her fingers dug down into the mattress, twisting the sheets so tight they began to rip in their ears. With her back arching up off the bed, Hitomi gasped, "The curtains are on fire!"

Van glanced over at the curtains. There was a slight breeze invading the room from the slightly gaping balcony doors and the sheers were dancing slowly, but there was no hint of flame. Having already gathered back the rag, Merle hastily whispered, "Shhhh, Hitomi. The curtains are fine. Shhh."

Hitomi shook her face away from the girl, tears streaming down her blackened cheeks, "Please, save them."

The she-cat was trying desperately to hold back her tears. She had been the steady witness of these feverish episodes for hours and each one was a cold stab in her chest. It was her fault that Hitomi was suffering. Probably the only thing that had kept the seer alive was her brother stumbling on the whole mess. If he hadn't been there, Hitomi would have died long before Merle would have ever been able to push through the mob.

"The curtains are fine" Merle soothed, "It's just a bad dream."

"Please, oh lord above" Hitomi sobbed, "Stop this."

"Nothing's wrong, Hitomi" Merle cried, beginning to shake her. "Wake up!"

Hitomi abruptly froze, startling the anxious duo. Her silver eyes stared at the ceiling and she whispered, "The black soldiers are here."

"Black soldiers?" Van gasped, "What black soldiers, Hitomi?"

"Don't mind her, Van-sama" Merle cried, shaking her head. "It's the fever."

Van quickly step back embarrassed. He wasn't sure if it was the connection of the black soldiers to his past or the fact that she was a seer that had caused him to shout. He had found it strange for her, a woman who had never ventured from her secluded village in the valley, to see black soldiers in her nightmares.

He scowled. Was it possible his nightmares were affecting her? He whipped towards the woman.

Hitomi's head tossed to the side a final time before stilling. A breath of relief passed from their lips as her eyes slid close. To their shock, however, her eyes reopen as quickly as they had shut and revealed brilliant emerald green color.

"Hitomi?" Merle whispered gently.

The seer flinched at the call of her name. Her eyes squeezed shut and tears spilt over her cheeks. Surprisingly, she made no whimpers or sobs. It was an eerie silent cry that stabbed into the heart with the shudder of her chest. Each breath she took sounded like metal scrapping.

Merle glanced to Van and he shrugged. The cat-girl turned back to the seer and tenderly rubbed her shoulder. Hitomi slowly exhaled and opened her glistening eyes. Staring at the ceiling she asked in a strong voice, "How long have I been out?"

"Several days" Van replied, "You've been suffering a high fever from the blood loss."

The bed sheets ruffled noisily through the heavy silence as the battered woman curled into a ball. The images were still bright in her head.

"Have I've been talking in my sleep?" she whispered. Merle looked to her brother. It sounded as if the seer was frightened of the answer.

"Yes" the cat said, "Why?"

Hitomi turned on her side, facing away from the girl, "It's nothing."

No one was sure what to say, but they all knew their thoughts lied on the seer's screams from moments before.

"When shall the nobles arrive for the meeting?" Hitomi inquired, hoping to steer away their curiosity.

Merle went to answer, but Van quickly interrupted her, "I postponed the meeting. They will not arrive until the next moon."

Hitomi quickly turned onto her back again, "What?"

"I had wanted you to be there at the meeting" he replied, his face flushing.

"I am no diplomat, my lord" Hitomi stated matter-of-factly, "I will hardly be any help."

His eyes momentarily darted to the floor, "Merle, please leave us."

The cat-girl scowled, obviously wounded for being left out, but after what happen, she couldn't expect much less. She had lost the benefit of being part of this after she had left Hitomi alone in the market. As she passed her brother she quickly bowed her head, hiding behind her pink hair. She might have escaped his eyes if he hadn't lightly touched her shoulder. Obeying his silent command, Merle looked up.

Van knew she was still blaming herself. She had never shown such commitment to anyone except himself and ever since Hitomi had been condemned to the bed, Merle hadn't left the room.

"We'll speak later" he whispered.

Merle nodded, but her head was still hanging an inch too low. Once the door creak shut, he turned back to the seer. Hitomi's fingers curled tightly into the sheets.

"My council requested your presence" he admitted sullenly.

Hitomi wanted to roll her eyes. That meant they demanded she was there.

"Why?" she asked stonily, _'Did they hope to humiliate me in front of the world?'_

Van ducked his eyes from her, and immediately, Hitomi knew. She inwardly kicked herself for not realizing earlier when they had met at the temple.

"Have you been waking before the sun, my lord?"

He winced. His ruby eyes met hers and she knew enough.

"Yes," Van coughed. His hand leapt to his chest, wrapping his fingers into his shirt. Hitomi's eyes widened at the sight. He was already passing into the second stage.

"How long?" she asked frantically.

Regaining his composure, the young king straightened his back and replied a little hoarse, "Nearly a week before the day at the temple."

Her mind raced through calculations. It would be any day now before he passed into the third stage. If he got too far along, she wouldn't be able to bring him out of it. Her heart seemed to fold and crumble in her chest at the thought. Staring at him across the distance of the bed, she was overwhelmed with the urge to pull him against her chest like a mother would a child.

_'This is too fast. I didn't think he would react this quickly. Most last months before the second stage ever hits, but he's passing through them nearly three times faster.' _

Van could tell by her scowl that it was bad. He had foolishly believed his body was still recovering from the sleepless months and stupid not to tell her. The pit of guilt he had been swimming in for the last hours was growing deeper.

"Why did you keep this from me?" Hitomi asked, her face sad yet soft.

Van almost didn't have the will to look her in the eyes. He had been reduced to a selfish child. He didn't deserve the crown on his head or the loyalty of his people. He was irresponsible—

"Van" she called firmly, waking him.

He returned to her face feeling lost. He couldn't rely on himself. The person he had built himself to be in his eyes had proven to be unreliable.

"Van, why won't you trust me?"

His eyes slid close at her sad plea. That very statement had been racing in his head since he had stormed off from their lesson.

She sighed, "I know you don't want people to suffer, but you're health is deteriorating."

"They're nothing, but flashes" he insisted weakly, "They'll pass."

"Will you risk your kingdom?" she snapped.

He froze, "What?"

"The longer you try to ignore this," she replied darkly, "the closer your kingdom comes to loosing their king, their only living royal."

He shied from her, "It's nothing of concern. I'm just distracted. My lack of sleep-"

"Is not responsible" she interrupted.

He couldn't find the energy to retort anything back. In the bottom of his soul he knew she was right.

"As I told you and your council over a month ago, my lord" she replied, "My stealing your dreams does not heal the scars of your heart. Only a handful has survived Stolen Sleep, and they had been Mystics. Who's to know how a Fanelian will react?"

He was cornered. There was no way out of this mess, but following her out of it. Even if his very being was disgusted with leaning on another's shoulders, he could no longer avoid the direness of his situation.

"I…" he began slowly, fearfully, "I've been having waking dreams."

Hitomi swallowed, "How many?"

"Several" he replied quietly, "Mostly during meetings. I keep seeing things burning around me, my mother struck down on the floor. Once or twice I have seen black soldiers bursting into the room."

"You screamed out" she stated, "That's why your council is worried."

He nodded, "They're afraid I will have another waking dream during the meeting or the festivities. The last thing my country needs is to appear vulnerable. If the other nobles see me cry out, they might think I'm insane."

"If you are not freed from this sickness, you will go insane."

He whirled. His jaw was slacked at he stared at the solemn woman, "What do you mean?"

Hitomi raised her weary eyes to the king, striking fear into his heart, "I told you that many have suffered the illness and few have survived it. My lord I never meant that people died beneath its punishment. It is that people have been driven mad by the nightmares and pain that have tormented them."

He rushed to kneel at her bedside. Everything was falling apart around him. He had been so strong for so long. His hand instinctively reached for hers, "But you can stop the dreams."

"Not the waking ones," she replied sorrowfully, "Even your nightmares have only ceased because of constant stealing. No seer has successfully stop waking dreams, or, as we call them, visions."

His heart just stopped at her admission. He was doomed.

Her hands clasped over his as she notice his mind shrink away into despair, "My lord that is why it is so important you finish my lessons. It is the only hope I can give you."

He nodded, though he appeared to be off in some other world. She quickly cupped his cheek bringing him back to her.

"If you won't do this for yourself," she whispered, "Than do it for your people. Don't let them be sacrificed to hungry men who will fight for the crown once you are unfit to rule."

He grew lost in her eyes, suddenly aware of how special this woman exactly was.

"How do you keep going?" he mumbled, "How do you stay so strong?"

She smiled and her blackened eye almost closed from the swelling, "You just caught me on a good day."

* * *

Hitomi leaned heavily on the cane as she stood. Her knee still screamed protested after five days, but it was healing quickly. Everyone who saw her was shocked by how fast she was recovering. It would be a good month or two before one should be able to stand. Hitomi was already walking with a cane before the week was out. It was easily written off as a Mystic trait and the whispers of the woman spread.

Hitomi carefully tested her leg, slowly adding weight to it. She winced as a nerve was hit. Suddenly her whole side was on fire and she lost hold of her crutch. Merle instantly took its place. Hitomi clenched at the smaller woman's shoulders and almost took them down, only barely regaining her balance.

Merle grunted under the woman's weight. Due to her feline genes, she was stronger than women her size, but Hitomi kept throwing her off balance.

"How is it?" Merle rumbled beneath the seer.

Hitomi winced, "Doesn't feel as stiff as yesterday, but it's too tender to stand on just yet."

Her hand grappled for the cane and with a little assistance, Hitomi stood on her own. The stand was shaky and her breathing was erratic, but she was on her own two feet for the first time in days. She instantly smiled in triumphant.

"Told you today would be the day," Hitomi smirked at the cat.

Merle rolled her eyes, "You win, but I have to say you said that everyday. Sooner or later you would be right."

Tentatively, Hitomi slid her foot forward and immediately crumpled to the floor. Merle hastily went to catch the seer, but was unable to stop the fall. Fortunately, she was saved the seer from slamming her head against the stone floor.

"That counts" Hitomi growled from the cold stone, "You still owe me three gold pieces."

"Sure" Merle smirked, "I'll pay you as soon as you pay me for the last four days you didn't stand."

Hitomi smiled through her grimace of pain, "Let's call it even."

Merle rolled her eyes, but smiled brightly. Normally she would have badgered the seer for trying to get out of their game, but she was too excited to see the woman smile. She had been desperate to keep it on her face since the incident days ago. She couldn't help to feel responsible for every scowl that marred the poor woman's face. Merle knew she was pushing too much guilt on her shoulders, as her brother had warned, but she refused to leave Hitomi in such a state. Stupid, insignificant paperwork wouldn't keep her away.

Sinking back into the mattress, Hitomi heaved a loud sigh, "This is taking too long."

"You got beaten into a bloody pile," Merle scoffed throwing the covers over the seer, "You aren't going to be doing anything strenuous for another week."

Hitomi gave the cat-girl a sidelong glance, knowing full well her soon to be question would be some fire out of the cat, "Could you call for Lord Van?"

As expected Merle's fur rose and her catty eyes glared at the woman, "You are not going to do lessons this week! You might think these lessons of his aren't a strain on you, but I won't have it!"

"Merle, please" Hitomi pleaded with a half smile, "I only wish to talk with him about the coming meeting. It won't take long I promise."

The cat angrily shook her head, her pink locks dancing.

"Please? If you think I'm exhausting myself you can send him out."

Again another shake of the head.

"Merle, I have to be prepared for the end of the month. If I'm not ready a disaster could occur."

Merle narrowed her eyes. Hitomi grinned when she saw the cat breaking, "Please, you'll have complete control."

Her tail twitched and lowered as she considered, "You got five minutes. That's it."

"Deal" the seer replied, straightening as she watched triumphantly Merle head out the door. Hitomi had to bit down her lip to keep from giggling at the sound of Merle's curses. The moment the door closed, however, her humor disappeared.

Quietly, she snuck her hand under one of her many pillows and slid out a worn leather book. It was small, obviously one that was carried frequently in someone's jacket or robes. Hitomi quickly flipped to a ribbon marked page and stared down.

Even though Merle had been an attentive nurse for the last days, Hitomi had still found time to sneak in some reading. Her handwriting was smudged and a few years old, but Hitomi didn't need to read it. She had reread the underlined sentences for years.

_'Extremely dangerous. Do not attempt unless_—

Her eyes squeezed shut. She was scared. No, absolutely frightened out of her wits would be closer to the truth. She had looked through her entire journal, twice, and the solution she had found was forbidden.

_'They can't know,'_ she thought miserably, _'They would never agree if they knew. I have to do this alone.'_

A tear slid down her cheek, _'I do everything…alone.'_

"Are you alright, Hitomi?"

Hitomi jerked up, totally missing how he had used her first name without "lady" before it. Van and Merle were both standing in the doorway, staring at with undisguised concern.

Hitomi quickly broke out a smile, "Oh, don't worry. Just missing home, that's all. I keep thinking of my little brother and how he would just love to run out in the fields here. There so much beautiful fields in Fanelia. I know he would love it here."

Van smiled warmly, obviously eating up the lie, "Well, when this is over, you are more than welcome to visit. You could bring him and your family if you wish."

_'If they will be willing to see me again,'_ she nodded, feeling a deep sense of guilt swimming in her heart for the lie, "Thank you very much. I hope one day he will be able to see Fanelia."

Hitomi gestured to the nearby chairs and once the king and cat-girl were seated, the seer turned to them with a serious expression. Van took this short moment to quickly assess her. The swelling in her face had disappeared and her bruises were already a fading yellow. He could tell by her small winces she tried to hide were evidence she was still in great deal of pain. He would have to ask the healer to send up some more medicine afterwards.

"Lord Van, what have your thoughts been for the meeting?"

Van scowled, "In what regards?"

Hitomi sighed, "Well, did you think of way of getting me in the meeting without rising suspicions?"

He blinked in surprise, "How did you know—"

"After what happened, I expected you wouldn't want the nobles to know my origins," she interrupted as she looked to the floor dejectedly, "I would only start problems."

The harsh words settled heavily on her shoulders, but she pushed on with determination, "I wanted to know what you and your council thought about."

Van was amazed once again out how sharp the seer was. He nodded, "Please, understand, Lady Hitomi, I only agreed because of the wellbeing of my kingdom and yourself."

Hitomi nodded, "You wouldn't do it unless it was for good reason."

He thanked her with the warm glow of his red wine eyes, "I had hoped you would agree to go in under disguise."

Her eyes dropped. He quickly continued to say, "I know you wanted to represent your homeland, but—"

"Don't worry, Van," she spoke gently, "I understand you didn't mean it the way it might sound."

He sighed. Neither noticed the second slip in the conversation, but Merle had. Her young eyes settled on the duo, her heart pounding. She glanced back and forth between them as their conversation lost all interest.

"It's going to be difficult to hide my tattoos," Hitomi admitted, glancing down at her wrist.

"Not at all," he replied, "The temperature is dropping so it will be easy to put you in a long sleeved dress or even gloves. That should cover them well enough. If we can't find the right dress to hide the ones on your wrists, Merle has a few bands that could do it."

"Really?" Hitomi turned to her.

Merle blinked awake, "Y-yea, it shouldn't be hard at all."

"Good" the seer replied, "Because I won't be able to wear gloves."

The king looked at her in confusion, "Why not?"

"Well, the whole purpose of me being at the meeting is to keep you from having an—er—episode. I figured out a way I could do that, but I need to have physical contact with you; nothing big, but it has to be skin on skin or it won't work. In all honesty I'm not even sure if it will work at all."

Merle's tail slid lazily along the stone floor as she leaned back. Her eyes danced brightly as she watched the two.

"Ok. We can work with that. The council thought we could introduce you as a distant relative."

Hitomi's face dropped, "Distant relative? Why would a distant relative be at the meeting?"

"We can say something about your family wanting to learn more about politics" he threw out, "Could even go as far to say your visit was a little spontaneous of your parents, thus explaining for a delay for the meeting."

The seer shook her head, "I don't buy it. Won't they realize I'm not a noble?"

"It's the best way to get you into the meeting," he replied, "We might run into a few politicians who might be curious of your appearance, but I doubt they would be able to figure who you were."

Hitomi's nervously rubbed her forearm, "It seems risky."

"Don't worry. Merle will be there with you."

Her emerald eyes brightened. Turning to the cat-girl, she suddenly noticed how Merle had a funny expression on her face. "What?"

Merle smiled innocently as the two unsuspecting victims stared at her, "Oh, nothing."


	5. Chapter 5

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

* * *

Chapter 5

* * *

Hitomi stared at her reflection nervously, _'I thought I would never again see myself in a dress.'_

She spun before the mirror, checking every inch of her body for signs of her tattoos. The plan wouldn't work if someone spotted the smallest tattoo. Her dress floated only a few short inches above the ground, easily covering the ones down her left calf. Luckily should the dress hike up when she would twirl then her long boots would cover a large portion of the design there. The sleeves of the dress were cuffed elegantly at her wrists and if she was careful how she moved no one would see her woven angels. For extra precaution, however, two thick bracelets were pushed over the cuffs in a strange, yet believable decorative style.

The dress itself had a beautiful flowing white hoop skirt. The bodice of the dress was an overlapping layer of soft pink that swooped down in a V-shape. In her opinion, the frills at the collar were a bit much, but they were the latest fashion throughout the east so she knew she wouldn't win an argument against them.

The seer sighed again, _'I don't even look like I'm from some distant region. My hair cut might appear odd, but it's not uncommon for some rebellious ladies to chop off their beautiful lengths.'_

_This might fool their eyes, but it will be my behavior that will win them over.'_

Merle had been training her diligently for the last two weeks in the art of nobility and Hitomi was ready to tear out ever last strand of hair out of her scalp. She was now very glad she had been raised in a temple where manners weren't a show. It unnerved her how ever turn of a wrist had meaning. She could be completely rude to a noble and never know it if she wasn't careful. It was driving her into a series of panic attacks.

_'I'll be glad when this meeting is over!'_

There were only a few hours before the first expected arrivals and Hitomi didn't dare leave her room. She kept checking her appearance, reviewing ever trick Merle had given her for the meeting, and bluntly ignoring the book hiding beneath her pillow.

Her eyes jerked to her bed at the scattered thought of the book. Her hands anxiously rubbed together as she reread the sentences in her mind. Angrily, she looked to the floor, frowning down at it as if it was to blame for the mess she was about to get in.

_'I can't think about that now,' _she scolded venomously, _'the diplomats will be here soon. If I turn back now what could be done?'_

She thought of her people, her family. She could see their eyes looking down at her with such anger and disapproval.

_'This is the only way I see. If there was another choice, wouldn't I take it? I just have to pray that I won't have to use it.'_

Taking a deep breath, Hitomi looked dead on into her reflection. With a shadow crossing her forest green eyes, she whispered, "I will do this, even if it means to break the sacred law."

Her eyes quickly found her tarot cards lying anxiously on her desk. Maybe it would calm her nerves to do a reading. She knew if the cards spoke of good things than it would make her ten times calmer.

Smiling, she reached for the deck only to stop her hand to hover inches over it. She bit her lips in indecision. If the cards told her the opposite it would make things worse.

She shifted from foot to foot. The cards hadn't been favorable for the pass week. They kept turning over to and speaking of doubt and failure. They were a type of fate she could work to avoid or overcome so they hadn't bothered her, but if they said the same thing now it would make her distraught with worry.

Her hand curled away from the deck with the star crest. Maybe it was best to let it be. Wasn't ignorance bliss? Or was she being a coward?

Frowning, Hitomi took the last final inches by impulse and flipped the top card over. Her eyes grew wide as her mouth flapped open and close, "The tower?"

_'Misfortune? Is going under disguise going to cause problems?'_

She hastily flung the card down, terrified. It had been rare in her experience to pick the tower, but every time she had picked it disastrous events had ensued including a monstrous flood that had taken an entire village in the valley. The card alone could drive her into a panic.

In mute horror, her eyes watched in disbelief as the card hit the deck with a faint slap and pushed half the cards unto the floor. Hitomi froze as the lightweight squares fluttered down like snow. Her eyes trailed after the wild cards, her heart hammering as several flipped face up as they hit the floor.

A singular card flew wildly towards her, turning over and over on itself like a carriage's wheel. She didn't notice her breathing speed up, hissing loudly through her teeth as she waited for it to land. With an eerie silence, the card floated down to land lightly onto the toe of her boot. The worn image of a wheel in the clouds surrounded by winged creatures stared up at her from her feet.

"The wheel of fortune," she gasped softly as she reached instinctively for the pendant around her neck, "Something big is going to happen soon. The wheels could start turning towards that destiny at this meeting."

Her eyes slowly looked at the scattered images on the floor. The first she spotted was a man in a lengthy robe, bowing as he held up a lantern to fight back the darkness. "The Hermit… Solitude."

The second was of a man hanging upside down from a tree branch by his foot. "The Hanged man… Sacrifice?"

Next was a dog staring up at the round orb that dominated a night sky. "The moon… anxiety."

She froze on the card that lied in the middle of the pile. From the floor the Tower smirked up at her. She trembled as she stared at the mess of images and thoughts running wild through her head. With a final surge of trepidation, she whispered, "Chaos."

The knock on the door quickly woke her and Hitomi hastily began picking up the cards. "One moment!"

With shaky hands she pressed the cards back into their block position and shoved them back on her desk. She nearly cried out as another card slipped from the crisp pile. Frantically she caught it before it could slip to floor and went to replace it when she noticed the image.

"The Emperor?" she frowned, forgetting about the people on the other side of the door, "Good fortune? How could that reading having any glimmer of good fortune in it?"

The second knock on the door easily broke her from the card and she instantly put it on the top of the deck. She glanced uneasily at the deck before impulsively grabbing up the card again and shoving it in a hidden fold in her skirt. Wiping her dress free from dust, she made a quick check to make sure the card was invisible to the eye. Maybe it would help to keep it with her for good luck. Pulling a great smile, Hitomi called pleasantly to her visitor as if she had not been thinking of a soul shaking matter. "Please, come in."

The door creaked open and surprisingly Merle and Van stood on the other side. Hitomi blinked at their early appearance, noticing the identical looks of apprehension. The king's tight expression, however, melted as he stared at her. In the back of her mind she took note of the warmth in his eyes, but it was easily overtaken with her concern. "What is it?"

"Austuria's convoy has arrived early," Van replied quickly, sounding slightly distracted, "It's landing as I speak. We need to go greet the representatives."

Hitomi's spine snapped completely into a vertical line, "Already? I thought the meeting wasn't arranged for hours."

Van nodded, "Yes, but if the representative is who I think it might be than its not at all surprising that Austria has arrived when it did."

"Um, alright," Hitomi mumbled as she gave her reflection a final once over, "I guess there is no delaying the inevitable."

"Don't worry, Hitomi. I've trained you well," Merle exclaimed proudly as she tugged at her own frilly apparel, "You'll be able to fake these old dead beats easy."

Hitomi glared back at the she-cat, "Easy for you to say. You've been raised in this. I've barely been around any type of court."  
"That's why I'm going to stay close to you," Van replied calmly, "If you get into trouble, I can make an excuse up. Just keep to the background we gave you and things should be fine."

The seer nodded weakly as the young king tucked the two ladies' hands into his elbows and led them down the hall to the awaiting carriage. Balgus met them at the door and slowly pulled at the huge gold handles. Hitomi swallowed as the doors opened to reveal the elegant box carriage pulled by several horses.

_'Lord, protect me and this king. Help me to save him, not condemn him.'_

Merle was let in first and she settled in with graceful ease as she adjusted her lengthy dress. Awkwardly, Hitomi picked up her dress, and taking the king's offered hand, stepped into her doom. Balgus was the last to enter.

The door closed with a small click, but she felt as if a padlocked had confined her to her prison. As the carriage rode towards the docks, Hitomi and Merle together ran over her background a final time. The air was pleasant and her dress was oddly comfortable when it covered a great deal of skin that was usually bare. She awkwardly adjusted herself multiple times before Merle snapped at her to pay attention. Before she could even find the chance to fight done her fear, the monstrous ship slid into view outside the window.

There were already several Fanelian soldiers speaking with a small group at the foot of the large vessel, making it irritable impossible for Hitomi to tell who had arrived so early. Once the carriage had stopped, Hitomi pulled her spine into the regal pose she was taught and waited patiently for the door to be opened. Balgus exit first, as she had been instructed would happen, and then he offered his hand to Merle.

_'I'll exit first. They will be looking for the king and if they see me they might lower their gaze long enough for you to exit without much notice.'_

_'Does it matter that much?' _Hitomi had asked, _'I mean I will eventually be introduced to them.'_

_'Perhaps, but it's better to keep you at the lowest profile as possible.'_

Hitomi's heart nearly froze when the samurai lifted his hand to her. Without a moment's hesitation she took it and carefully stepped out into the bright sun, praying feverishly that she didn't fall.

Hitomi kept her eyes pointed away from the noble, deciding it was better for her nerves not to know if he had or hadn't seen her. Merle discreetly took her hand when she grew closer, whispering soft words of encouragement. The seer didn't acknowledge her, but instead anxiously lifted her face to see the noble.

The seer froze instantly as her eyes locked with a pair of ocean blue. The noble had watched her the entire time! Hitomi fought back the urge to swallow as she fought to keep her face calm.

The man was staring at her with an expression she only guess could be described as curiosity. He was watching her pointedly as if he knew she didn't belong. Her face began to heat up the longer his eyes stayed trained on her. Whether Merle noticed she didn't say and that only unnerved the seer more. Her confidence was quickly disappearing with each second and finally she darted her eyes away from the man in hope of saving what little strength she had left.

_'He's just looking at you. For God's sake, Hitomi get a grip. You haven't even been introduced yet and you're ready to turn tail. This isn't going to convince anyone if you buckle each time.'_

A noble was supposed to have an air of authority that rivaled even the highest of blood. Even if she was a low duchess or even the cousin of one she should prove herself to be strong and powerful enough to hold a king's gaze.

With new resolve the seer returned to look at the man, only to find his gaze had switched their focus back to the carriage. Hitomi fumed inwardly at her chance to appear strong and began studying her first noble. He was a tall man with a powerful stance. His face was a soft pale and with his long blonde hair she might have considered him to be a gentle person, but his strong jaw line and sword at his side swiftly dispersed those thoughts. His wardrobe was strange, but she guessed it would be because she had seen little of life beyond the valley. Puffy sleeves and a lengthy blue vest were hardly common to her.

Just as she was admiring the shine in his boots, a blonde angel burst out from behind him. Hitomi blinked rapidly as the light off her hair bounced. Her mouth dropped opened as she was struck dumb.

"Oh, Van, it's so good to see you again!" the angel cried as her heels clicked loudly against the cobblestone. Time seemed to slow as Hitomi watched Van step forward out of nowhere and reached out for the woman.

"Same to you, Millernia," Van replied with a heart-warming smile as they hugged, "I thought Eries was coming. What are you doing here?"

The blonde maiden pouted and swatted the king's arm playfully, sending a thickening turn in the seer's stomach, "You sound as if you're disappointed I came."

Van rolled his eyes, appearing more like the boy than the king he was, "I am glad to see you. It's just your sister normally takes care of these types of proceedings."

Millernia shrugged, "My father decided it was time I got more involved with my duties. Don't worry. I've been drilled for hours. My father is adamant I do well at the meeting."

"That's Millernia Aston," Merle's voice broke through her trance of the pair causing Hitomi to start.

"W-what was that?" the seer stumbled, feebly.

The she-cat shook the woman's arm, "I said that is Millernia Aston, third princess of Austuria. She used to be Van's childhood playmate."

"Millernia," Hitomi mumbled unconsciously, _'The king and his princess.'_

Merle eyed the seer through her lashes and smirked. She knew it was a dangerous idea, but she couldn't help her mind from twirling with the thought. Leaning casually closer, the cat quietly whispered, "At one time both their parents wanted them to marry and sought to betroth them, but after Fanelia lost the royal family, no one dares speak about Van-sama marrying. Rumors, however, are saying that two are already romantic with each other."

"Oh," Hitomi sighed, her shoulders drooping an inch. She shuffled quietly beside the cat-girl waiting for her turn to be introduced. _'Why am I disappointed?' _

Her eyes stared up through her eyelashes at the chatting couple. She could feel her face grow warm as her gaze trailed over the king's profile. _'Am I jealous?'_

Hitomi shuddered at the thought. She couldn't be jealous. If she was it would be horrible. Something dark and cold stirred in the pit of her stomach. To have feelings for a man from a foreign country would have been simply, but if she dared to feel for a king, it was a disaster. A king wasn't allowed to love that much she knew. He was forced to marry for noble blood so the line would stay strong. That one fact alone stomped hard on her stomach and Hitomi felt a cold, emptiness fill her.

Merle's smirk slid downwards as she saw the seer become still and her face glowered with a haunting determination. She had been hoping to get a more depressed reaction from the girl, but instead she was getting the very opposite.

Van abruptly turned away from the princess, having found a break in their conversation, and signaled the girls over. Hitomi silently followed Merle to the pair as the princess took notice of them for the first time. As Van's eyes connected with hers, Hitomi made a promise to reserve all feelings for the king as strictly platonic. She could never hope for a relationship nor did she want to steal from the worthy princess his heart.

_'Besides, it's not like I'm in love with him. I could understand a small affection since he's one of the first men I've grown close to after Amano.'_

"Why Merle I think that dress is very stunning on you," the princess exclaimed as she and the she-cat hugged, "I know it has to be driving you crazy to be so formal."

Merle nodded with a wicked glare, "Sadly, I promise not to shred this one like I did the last, else I won't be allowed on any more banquets. If it wasn't for the food I swear this stupid thing would be little shreds on the floor in my room."

Millerina laughed lightly, its melodic sound vibrating in the seer's ears. Suddenly, the princess turned to her, making the seer's heart fold, "And who might you be?"

Pushing her thoughts to the back of her mind, Hitomi rolled back her shoulders and stepped forward to be properly introduced to Austuria's princess. _'Let the game begin.'_

With flawlessly tact, Hitomi curtsied to the princess as Van spoke, "This is my cousin, Hitomi de Fanel, daughter of Garrison of Thorb. Her father requested she might sit in on the meeting so she might learn more of political transactions."

Hitomi rose carefully, hoping the princess didn't notice the wobble in her knees. Looking up through her bangs, Hitomi realized the princess was staring at her with a perplex expression.

"Strange," Millerina replied, her brilliant blue eyes hard on the seer, "I never met of Lord Garrison. I thought I knew all your family, Van."

Hitomi involuntarily bit her lip, but Van smoothly replied, "You would be amazed how many relatives reacquainted with me once I took the throne. I never realized a person could have so many blood connections. It makes my head spin sometimes just keeping up with _them_."

Millerina giggled lightly, "I suppose that is true. Oh, how rude of me to not introduce you to my company."

Throwing back her gleaming locks, the princess beckon the blonde man forward along with another man with dark hair. The two bowed respectfully as Millerina introduced them.

Waving her hand to the blonde she said, "This is Allen Schezard, Calie Knight and my personal bodyguard for the trip. I believe you have met him on occasion, Van."

"I have" the king nodded, "It is good to see you again, Sir Allen."

"The same to you, your highness," the knight replied silkily as he shook hands with the king.

Hitomi blushed at the man's obvious charm. She had never heard a voice so rich and soft before. The seer had to stop herself from rolling her eyes, _'You are a fickle woman, Hitomi. You were just thinking about the king, now you're fawning over a knight you haven't met properly. Stupid girl.'_

"And this is Gaddes," Millerina said as she waved to the next man, "Second Commanding Officer of the Crusade."

"A pleasure to be here, my lord," the man replied also shaking hands with the king, "I must say Fanelia is an impressive city, especially so young after being rebuilt."

"Thank you," Van grinned, "I'm very proud of my people's work."

"As well you should be," Millerina interrupted gaily, "Now Gaddes and Allen this is Merle, Van's foster-sister, and Hitomi, his cousin."

Hitomi smiled softly as they turned to them, but it quickly vanished into a hot blush as her hand was taken by the knight. She felt a rise of irritation spring in her as she noticed the blonde smirked at her obvious discomfort.

"A pleasure, be sure, my lady," the knight whispered before he kissed her knuckles. Hitomi wanted to steal back her hand the instant his soft lips pressed against her pale flesh, but she had been warned it was a custom greeting for women of nobility. If she took back her hand she knew it would arouse suspicion. Gritting her teeth, she bared the humiliation.

"As it is mine," Hitomi replied, not a hint of tremor in her words. His eyes sparkled merrily and she guessed she amused him. She inhaled deeply in relief as his hand dropped hers. The kiss had warmed her to the tips of her toes, but it was more from embarrassment then from attraction.

In a flash, the princess plastered her beautiful self to the knight's arm, fluttering her long eyelashes sweetly. "Aw, Allen you made her blush. Stop scaring the poor girl."

The knight chuckled softly, still watching the seer carefully. "Don't worry, my lady. I am a perfect gentleman."

Hitomi couldn't decide a reply to him so she kept silent as the pair studied her. She began to viciously pray in her head that they didn't notice anything out of place.

Graciously, Van took that moment to pulled her hand into the crook of his elbow and exclaim, "Now, Allen you mustn't be frightening my dear cousin. She's rarely had a chance to be in the courts and she utterly terrified of messing up. You fawning over her only makes her more nervous."

"Forgive me, Lady Hitomi," Allen replied smoothly as he bowed.

Hitomi fidgeted under everyone's eyes. She jerked a nod, "You're quite forgiven, Sir Allen. I'd hate to tarnish the reputation of a knight by a young girl's anxiety."

As the knight lifted from his humble position, grinning as he did, Van gently directed her to the carriage.

"Let hurry out of this early frost," Van stated loudly. Hitomi glanced up at him, hoping to find some sign of encouragement or acknowledgement that she had done well for her first round, but saw nothing except for the tightness in his jaw that she doubted came from her performance.

Merle grinned slyly as she fell in step behind them, followed by the princess's party. The cat's tail swayed energetically behind her back. For any cat, it was sign of mischief, and that was something to be wary.


	6. Chapter 6

Bad Dreams

By angelwings1

* * *

Chapter 6

* * *

"If you don't know how to answer squeeze my hand."

Hitomi nodded, rubbing her arm for the millionth time. The sleeves were a silky material, but they were unfamiliar and suffocating her.

"I'll do my best to answer for you without appearing too active in the conversation."

She stared hard at her toes, trying to keep her breathing even. The last hours had been torture. All that had happen had been a simple tea break before the meeting, but it had thoroughly searched her nerves. Hitomi had watched silently from her seat between Van and Merle as the two nobles had reminisced about old times when they were children. There had been few questions directed towards her, but the looks she had gotten from the princess and knight proved to the seer that they were curious about her.

_"So how long have you've been in Fanelia, Hitomi?"_

"_About a month."_

_Millerina had grinned and leaned her unblemished cheek into her satin white glove, "Are you enjoying it here?"_

_Hitomi had nodded softly, "Yes. It's a little different from my home in Thorb."_

_"I've never been to Thorb," the princess perked up, "Is it beautiful there?"_

_Her stomach had dropped at the question, but she smiled innocently, "There are lot of open fields where I live. A couple of them are completely swamped with flowers. My little brother and I play tag when we can escape our governess. I think that's what I miss most."_

_"So you don't leave home a lot?"_

_"No, I guess you could say I'm very ignorant of the world."_

_"But I thought your father was the second son of a Duke? I would have thought your grandfather would have brought you out."_

_She knew it was getting dangerous as out of the corner of her eye she saw Merle glance to Van. Hitomi shrugged to the princess as she carefully placed her teacup on its saucer. "I am one of several grandchildren. My Uncle has three sons and two daughters who are closer to my grandfather's seat than I. He always offered to take me on trips, but I don't care for much of politics."_

_Millernia's blue eyes narrowed carefully and Hitomi knew she had screwed up, "Then why did you come here to this meeting?"_

_Hitomi hesitated for only a hair, "I don't care for politics, but my father does."_

_Van had let out an uneven breath of air, but the others didn't seem to notice. Hitomi smiled brightly, "He always told me it was important to understand politics if I ever wanted to help others. It's why I agreed to come."_

_The princess lifted in her seat, "You wish to help others? How's that?"_

_In that moment, Hitomi had felt the bruise in her heart wince and she realized her thoughts had floated far from the white marble room and towering windows to a small temple in the dusty valley towards the north. Hitomi face lit up with a distant sadness as she replied lightly, "When you see others need you, it's natural to want to lend out a hand. I don't want to let people suffer because I didn't."_

_The words danced through the air and a heavy understanding fell on the room. Millernia mirrored the seer's expression, "I know exactly what you mean. That's the reason I study medicine on my free time."_

Hitomi knew their questions had been moderate compared to what they could have asked. There had been no room to interrogate her when she sat next to her host. If the opportunity ever presented itself, however, she knew they would hungrily corner her like wolves and find the snare in her carefully woven facade.

Luckily, the chance had yet to pass and several more nobles had arrived. The last convoys and shipped had docked so it had become a matter of waiting for everyone to settle into their rooms before the meeting could begin. This would be the true test.

"Don't worry if you forget a name. Just use a title. You haven't been in courts a lot, by our story, so it won't appear suspicious if you slip up."

"Alright," she mumbled staring straight into his wine colored eyes. There were standing directly outside a pair of huge mahogany doors taking a once last overview. It had been difficult to escape the representatives, but with Merle and Balgus's help they had escape into the back hall. Van, failing miserably trying to hide his tension, kept pacing up and down the way as Hitomi stood frozen in a beam of sunlight pouring from one of the high windows.

Van sighed heavily. He was already tired of this farce and it had barely started. He had been nervous all week about putting her under this pressure and with minutes left till they entered the chamber, he felt an urge to keep her from going into the lion's den. She nearly died a few weeks ago and still had the bare hints of battery in her walk. He would never forgive himself if somehow this meeting caused more suffering to her future.

"Are you ready?" he asked seriously, looking her dead in the eye. Hitomi stared at him for several minutes. She didn't look as if she was rethinking the idea. She seemed ever bit determine as she had the first night he had suggested this game. Van hastily decided to add, "You don't have to do this, Hitomi. This is only a request."

Her eyes dilated and she whispered, "No, Van. I have to do this."

His heart tightened at her admission, feeling some darkness lacing her tone. He didn't want to take her through the doors they stood next to, but he couldn't stop her either. He knew her well enough to be sure. With a heavy heart, he offered his elbow to her. Hitomi refused to hesitate and took it smoothly, but when he went to enter the room, she pulled him to a stop. He swung slowly around and stared into her jade eyes that glinted with the afternoon sunlight.

"How are you feeling so far?" she asked softly. He stared at her for several minutes before realizing what she was getting at.

"Fine," he replied, "Usually before I saw anything my head would hurt, but it was always seconds before it happened."

Hitomi nodded, fully knowing the symptoms, "If you feel one coming, squeeze my hand. I'll do my best."

The young king nodded, studying how the sweep of her short hair curled just perfectly along the angle of her porcelain neck. Hitomi squeezed his arm marginally as she finished, "I don't doubt you will feel at least one or two while we're in there. Stress is a good catalyst for these episodes. Don't be afraid to take my help."

He nodded and gently led her towards the doors. Right as they swung open he muttered under his breath, "I trust you, Hitomi."

All the seer could do was sadly muse, _'I'll protect you.'_

The doors opened revealing the long, dark wood table in the center. Several faces turned at the noise of the doors and Hitomi recognized a few scattered individuals. Some of the representatives were already seated anxiously. She could feel the tension in the air and knew the meeting would probably be filled with heated debates.

Van instantly took on his role as host with ease, "Ladies and gentlemen, I formally welcome everyone to my home and hope you have all found your rooms to be satisfactory."

There was a round of approval and a few silent nods. With so many guests attending, it was a wonder everyone fit in the castle. Van grinned warmly to the crowd as he ushered her and the others towards their seats. Hitomi graciously gave her thanks to the king as he pulled out her chair.

Almost immediately after they all were seated, Van's hand grabbed for hers under the table. Hitomi felt her face grow hot and she quickly stomp down her need to blush. She needed to keep focus. She had to remember this was strictly business.

Her eyes quickly rove over the table, marking each face and crest for memory. It appeared easy enough to keep countries straight, but it was harder to match names with each individual. As Van began to talk about old history with the countries, Hitomi began rattling her mind for information Merle had given her.

A man dressed in green robes and spectacles came from the merchants of Austuria. Hitomi couldn't remember his last name, but she remembered him to be called Dryden. If she remembered correctly, his family dealt with heavy trade throughout this section of the world. Scowling, she wondered how he had pushed his way into the privacy of the proceedings. She thought only the highest representatives were allowed here. Maybe the kingdoms wanted to secure trading routes along with the treaty. It was highly possible.

Next to him sat Millerina, who looked as beautiful as ever, with Allen at his post against the wall behind her. On her other side sat an obese, balding man from Bosrom named Jorgus. He was one of the emperor's highest commanders and was known to be a very blunt and sometimes overly colorful individual.

Following the commander sat a bulky man with a heavy white beard and mustache. His body was covered in white scars and he was dressed in orange and purple robes. Her eyes narrowed at the mark on his foreign, remembering she had seen that innocent dot before and not from pictures Merle had shown her. Hitomi started as she came to the obvious realization.

_'Freid. That has to be Voris, the head advisor of the duke.'_

She barely remembered it, but, when she was a child, monks from Freid had visited the valley. They had been kind and always muttering blessing over their villages, but like any outsider the valley had been wary of them. Even with her fuzzy memories, Hitomi was certain she had seen the man before. It could be possible he had been there at the valley on one of the monks' trips.

She prayed silently he wasn't one of the men who had blessed her. The monks had scattered through her village one time and had graciously performed blessing on the children. Naturally, it didn't take long for a hand to find the crown of brown locks and she remembered the foreign words passing from chapped lips like an old lullaby. If Voris had been in her village years ago, she doubted he would remember a single child out of hundreds. Even so, Hitomi made a mental note to avoid the man after the meeting.

Sitting next to monk was none other than Prince Chid Freid, son of the Duke. He was the youngest seated at the table having recently celebrated his eleventh year. He was a hansom boy with short blonde hair and the bluest eyes she had ever dreamed of. He appeared to be very calm and not the least bit nervous unlike her. Hitomi had to admire the boy just for his contented expression on his face. She was willing to puke out her nerves when a child was perfectly relaxed.

How could a world place so much responsibility on such a small set of shoulders? She couldn't imagine the type of stress the child dealt with on a daily basis. Hitomi huffed angrily as she thought of the Duke. Why hadn't he come and endure this?

Hitomi was so irritated by the thought of a man leaving his son to do the work that she didn't realize she was being stared at until her eyes accidentally connected with him. The seer flinched when she caught sight of red eyes narrowed on her. She wetted her lips nervously as stared back at the youth.

He was an oddity amongst the delegates. He was possibly only a year or two older than her and his eyes held a depth that made a deep recess in her soul tremble. With hair the silver color of a blade and knee length vest as white as snow he appeared angelic. His red armor, however, spoke with kinks and dents of a dark story of many battles. Her eyes fell on the black painted emblem covering his chest plate and realized with sickening awe the soldier was the representative from Zaibach.

Dilandau Albauto was Emperor Dornkirk's favored captain. Though rather unpredictable and wild, the youth was known to be an effective warrior, leading one of the strongest regimes in Zaibach forces, the Dragon Slayers. There were many rumors surrounding the regime and their captain. Some of them referred to spy networking and mysterious attacks, but there was no concrete evidence to connect the slayers or Zaibach to anything dishonorable. One of the only reasons Zaibach had been allowed to join in the treaty was because there was no way to pronounce the country an enemy.

Hitomi carefully leaned back in her chair, hoping the support to calm her. She didn't dare duck her eyes from him. She could tell he was testing her with the glare he was sending. A noble would never wilt under such challenge.

Reality, however, found the instant to be unfit for the staring war and suddenly Hitomi was overcome by a dark image. The vision was fuzzy and she could barely see in the darkness, but she knew what she saw was a very pregnant woman laying in the black world of her mind. She was crying out, her mouth wide and tears streaming endlessly down her upturned face. Yet even with the intensity of her howls, Hitomi could only hear a faint echo of her voice.

The seer stretched out to see better and soon a cry broke loud and high through the foggy air. A faceless being became solid in the image and soon a wailing baby girl was being lifted into the light. Her voice was perfectly clear, seeping with an indescribable sadness. To Hitomi complete shock, the baby's pudgy limbs began to sage in the person's grip. Slowly the fat began to melt and became transparent like water. No, the baby became water and poured down from the pair of hands like rain. The short downpour sounded like piano keys as they hit the unseen ground.

Seconds after the last raindrop faded from her ears, Hitomi saw the mother scream again, faint as before. Abruptly, a red glow began to swarm between the woman's legs. Hitomi blinked several times, hoping to dispel the color, but it grew brighter with each second. Her mouth dropped open as a beautiful baby boy was lifted into the air. What shocked Hitomi most was the fact the baby was consumed by orange flames. It looked almost as if the child had been accidentally lit and was crying in pain, but unconsciously, the seer knew the child was born of flame.

Slowly, the child was cradled against the faceless being and the mother began to fade away. Hitomi eagerly leaned forward, trying to see the mother's face. The limp woman was beautiful with blonde hair matted to her oddly familiar face. The seer had never seen the woman before, but there was no mistaking having seen her high cheekbones and strong chin before. Just as her fingers began to grasp the woman's likeness, the woman disappeared and only the child and the man remained.

Hitomi studied the shadowy man's, but couldn't make heads or tails of his identity. Her entire equilibrium was shot as the child opened his eyes and revealed the color of blood.

Hitomi gasped mutely as the vision was sucked out of her head and left her breathing hard. Her grip on Van's hand had involuntarily tightened and he glanced to her expectantly. That's all it took for every eye to turn on the seer to see what had falter the king's attention. She inhaled deeply and forced the perfect smile.

_'What was that?'_

Van quickly removed his eyes from her, but she had caught the gleam of concern in his eyes. Hitomi stared pointedly at the king, refusing to acknowledge the looks she knew she was getting. A part of her was eager to look back at the Zaibach soldier and see his reaction to her momentary lapse, but feared what she might find. He had to have seen her freeze and her eyes dilate. Most people didn't recognize the signs of her trances so it was easy to brush off the moments as her inability to be attentive, but what if he knew?

_'Stop trying to panic. He couldn't have known. Keep focused.'_

Hitomi bit her lower lip as she carefully ran over the pages in her precious book. She needed to be ready. Who knew when he would need her?

"Let's begin this meeting with Austuria since she was first to arrive. Millernia, you have the floor."

Van slowly leaned back and Hitomi felt the weight of the table's numerous eyes lift from the youth to the equally young princess. Millernia smiled pleasantly and elegantly jutted out her chin like a true queen. With ease she spoke to the table, "Austuria agrees to offer her support in any war against this alliance or the countries who will sign this treaty. There is a small problem, however, with refusing trade with the Harbu Clan. They are our only source to Lutherian metal we use in special gears found in a regime of our guymelefs."

"No trade will be allowed with Harbu Clan," Jorgus exclaimed hotly next to her, "The Harbu Clan has been an enemy of Bosrom for the last decade and to have trade with them is to side with them."

The princess didn't even ruffle at this.

"Even so," she replied calmly, "Without Lutherian metal we cannot keep our guymelefs from being ignored. We request new trade."

Several agreed even as Jorgus said beneath his breath, "You have plenty of other melefs."

Dryden leaned forward on his elbows, ignoring how he might appear a little unsophisticated with his bulky robes and scraggly ponytail held up with a mismatching scarf. He smirked devilishly to the princess and said, "My father's trade route come into high stocks of Blackstone Metal. It's a slight higher penny than Lutherian, but it is excellent quality."

Hitomi's eyes widened slightly as she noticed a pink tinge paint the princess's cheeks. Millerina had appeared so controlled. Why was she getting worked up over this man? Pushing back a strand of hair from her eyes, the princess had replied a little sharply, "Doesn't Blackstone bind under stress if the plates are two inches thick?"

"Only if the metal is cooled improperly during the process," Dryden replied with a wink, "I could offer you the secret to its metal work if you pay the proper price."

Somehow the blush deepened on the princess's cheeks and hastily snubbed her nose at him as she replied stonily, "Austuria accepts the offer."

Hitomi blinked in astonishment. That was it? She thought this was going to be a lot more cut throat and already the first argument had been settled. Maybe the meeting wouldn't be as bad as everyone thought it would be. Hitomi grinned as she pressed her back into the comfy cushion of her chair. Even a seer can be wrong, and how wrong she was.

"There is no way Freid will offer the service of the sacred clan of Ishdorm in time of war," Voris exclaimed loudly, "The people of Ishdorm was started as a final defense for Freid if ever attacked. If we allow them into battle we are crippling our own nation."

"You just don't want anyone to meet these supreme fighters because you fear we will discover the secret," Jorgus cried louder.

A man dressed in black and silver stood from his seat, "The kingdom of Korris sides with the country of Bosrom. We believe Freid should be willing to offer all forms of defense."

"At our expense?" Voris yelled, thrusting to his own feet, "This is just a ploy to reveal Freid's military secrets!"

"I demand everyone be seated," Van suddenly thundered. His voice carried powerfully through the full room and no one dared to speak after such an outburst. Hitomi bit her lip as she eyed the men. It had already been two hours of back and forth arguing and it seemed the representatives were slowly growing more aggressive. The seer shifted uncomfortably in her seat as she realized it was probably normal for men to grow irritated after sitting around in debate for several hrs.

Van glared at each individual man and stiffly resumed his seat. The delegates hesitated for a short heartbeat before scowling at one another and taking their own seats. The Fanelian King's face was tight as he calmly stated, "We will proceed with the talks once more as the civilized men we are. Bosrom, Freid, and Korris have spoken their opinions on the issue at hand. Can a new thought be spoken?"

Hitomi glanced nervously to the king feeling how his stress level was reaching a dangerous point. They had been luckily so far to not live any episode, but she knew it wouldn't be much longer. She discreetly squeezed his hand under the table and watched his chin shake left and right. There was nothing yet, but it felt like the breath before the plunge.

Somehow Hitomi could feel it bulging in him like a swollen mother about to go into labor as he confirmed a sudden squeeze of her hand. His eyes widened slightly and she easily noticed the tension in his shoulders. There was a vein at his left temple that became automatically distinct and she knew the first wave had come.

The seer automatically closed her eyes and returned the squeeze the king had given. She silently swallowed a mouthful of air and used her free hand to clutch her tarot card. Van shuddered as he felt invisible fingers plunge into the back of his scalp. He did his best to appear blank to the table, but his mind was whirling with astonishment at the cold intrusion. He wondered numbly if this is what it felt when she had taken his nightmares in his sleep.

Hitomi bit down on her tongue and she snatched the images out of his head. She could see them as plain as day and she knew if she opened her eyes she would think the vision was real. There were soldiers bursting through doors in the dream and she could see huge shadows outside the windows. If she focused on the air she could smell the hint of something smoldering. The seer quickly pushed the images away into the back of her mind and felt the vision fade from existence.

She let out a small breath of relief as Van relaxed beside her. The first one had passed easily. Hitomi frowned inwardly at the thought. It had been too easy. She hadn't even broken a sweat. She had thought stealing waking dreams would have jeopardize her life, but it didn't even make her nauseated.

Something wasn't right.

Hitomi quickly opened her eyes to Van. He appeared well and unaffected by the vision. Maybe the first vision had been weak. It could explain how easy she had dealt with it.

Finally looking back at the table, she saw the conversation was still circulating over Freid's special forces. The duke's son, Chid, was presently speaking and Hitomi was astonished to hear such articulate speech fall from his lips.

"I understand why you all feel threatened by the Ishdorm Clan," he stated softly, "They have spent the entire existence in training, waiting for the day to protect our nation's capital. If I was a neighboring country I would want to understand the purpose of such a threatening army."

Chid glanced momentarily to his caretaker before continuing, "I will let you know that the Ishdorm Clan is a religious practice passed down for eight generations. They have a sole purpose of protection to our country. To ask them to do more is to break from their commitments and that is something my father would never ask. That is why I say this: the Ishdorm Clan will never act upon this treaty and if that is considered unsuitable by this table than the country of Freid is prepared to leave this meeting without signing any document."

A resounding gasp burst from the table and as quickly as the shock had filtered through the seats a new wave rolled through as Millerina added, "If Freid does not sign this treaty than Austuria will also refuse."

Hitomi's mouth dropped open in surprise. From what Merle had told her Austuria and Freid were two powerful countries. One of the reasons several other countries had joined the treaty was because they knew they would have two of the greatest armies to back them up. If Austuria and Freid stepped out of this it was possible the entire treaty could collapse.

"This is bullying," Jorgus exclaimed, slapping his palm on the table. It looked like another round of yelling was about to ensue and Hitomi sighed wearily.

"Lady Hitomi do you have an opinion?"

Her eyes widened at the voice and she slowly turned to see the Zaibach's soldier staring at her, "What?"

Every occupant of the room became stiff as all attention came to the red solider. Dilandau's face twisted into a smile and she felt a chill race down her spine at his devilish appearance. She suddenly realized this was the first time the man had spoken. His voice had sounded unusually high and Hitomi believe her suspicions of his age were confirmed. The captain's pale finger cupped his cheek as he repeated, "Do you happen to have an opinion on the matter, Lady Hitomi?"

The seer's insides seemed to disappear completely. She didn't care what he had just asked; she didn't believe he was interested in the controversy over Freid. Carefully, she replied with feigned innocence, "I very much doubt my opinion is worthy of this discussion."

"An outsider's opinion would be most refreshing," Dilandau said lazily, his eyes locked on her. Hitomi didn't look to Van, but knew he was fidgeting. The captain hadn't spoken throughout the entire meeting, but now he had chosen to speak up and directly to her, a spectator. The very sight of the soldier made his blood hot and with his smirk directed at the seer, Van knew his blood was threatening to explode.

"I suppose I would side with Freid on the matter," she said quietly, eyes darting nervously. She saw a few lean forward and she knew they wanted to hear an explanation to her decision. Hitomi studied Dilandau and noticed he was feverishly watching her.

What was with this man from a dark country?

Looking away from the captain, she continued loudly, "I don't believe any country would be willing to send their entire army away from their base of operation. It would be suicide to leave their base unprotected. So, I think that if Freid must offer their last line of defense to this treaty, than every country should be willing to do the same."

There was absolute silence. The death grip she had on her tarot card tightened as they all stared at her. Maybe it would have been better to have faked indecision. She had never dared to speak in the town back home and now she realized why.

"Austuria sides with the Lady Hitomi," Millerina suddenly spoke up with a smile, "She raises a very good point. No country should be forced to sacrifice all of their people."

There was a nod, then two.

"Korris agrees with Austuria."

"Yukon agrees with Austuria."

Jorgus grumbled a curse beneath his breath, "Bosrom agrees with Austuria. Bosrom retracts their previous terms in exchange for new ones. We ask that all countries are required to keep their reserves at their main base."

Hitomi turned back to the captain and saw his smile lift delicately into a smirk. Chuckling, Dilandau narrowed his eyes and said, "See it appears your presence is **_needed_** here."

Heart stopped beating all together and her eyes widened. He knew. He knew she didn't belong here, or at least knew she was lying about who she was.

Confirming her thoughts, the Zaibach captain gave the smallest of nods in her directions. Hitomi felt her mouth go dry. _'How could he possibly know? They had done so well at hiding her!'_

"Are you alright, Lady Hitomi?" Millerina asked gently, "You look very pale."

The seer shakily smiled, never taking her eyes off the man's red eyes, "Just nerves."

Hitomi began to rhythmically squeezing Van's hand. The king glanced at her and knew instantly something was very wrong. Slipping his hand out of hers, Van stood and stole the attention of the table, "I believe we have been in here for quite enough time for today. Let us adjourn for dinner and we will continue tomorrow."

Chairs screeched backwards and the weary representatives began to depart the room. Hitomi was quite happy to stay in her seat, where she could feel the faithful support of her chair. Her heart was going to fly out of her ribcage if she stood.

"Lady Hitomi I wanted to thank you for your help today."

The seer jerked straight in her seat as she found the quiet voice beside her armrest, "I only spoke honestly, Prince Chid. I'm sure another would have said the same thing if given the time. You need not thank me."

He smiled softly, "Your humbleness is admirable, but I will still offer you my thanks. After all, who knows how long we would have been here if you had not said it."

She nodded and slid her hands in her lap to hide the tremors. Chid was such an agreeable boy. She could sense a deep kindness in his heart and she wondered what type of ruler he would turn out to be. Her eyes suddenly stopped on the boy's smile. His lips pulled into the most familiar—

Hitomi blinked rapidly as the image a beautiful blonde woman flowed over her sight. She was smiling the same sad smile and for a moment, Hitomi thought it was Millerina she was seeing. Except when she blinked, the image blurred and settled into an older woman, whose eyes were smaller and curves were fuller.

Hitomi leaned against the armrest of her chair as the image disappeared as quickly as it had come. Prince Chid was frowning at her with concern, "Are you alright, Lady Hitomi?"

"It's nothing," she replied energetically, "Just a bit of a headache. I'm not use to these long debates."

"Well you have proven to be a most effective speaker," the prince's advisor replied in a strong voice. Hitomi smiled up at him and realized her vision was swimming. She blinked and settled her eyesight in time to see the advisor looking down at her in concentration. "Have we met before, Lady Hitomi?"

She winced inwardly, "I don't believe that is possible. I've never been as far as Freid in all my life."

"Well, I have not been part of the royal family's council all of my life," he replied, "At a time, I was a missionary and traveled to many places. We might have met on one of those moments."

Hitomi glanced to Van and realized he was watching her carefully. He had to have seen her momentarily lapse. She shook her head to Voris, "If we had I am not certain where. I've stayed closed to home most of my life."

"And where would that be?"

Hitomi nervously looked up at the red captain, "I am from Thorb."

Warmth swept forward to her left, opposite to the captain, and Hitomi knew Van had taken a protective stance at her side. Dilandau ignored the young king's silent challenge and kept his calculating gaze on her, "Thorb was it? A fairly isolated place isn't it?"

Her heart pounded hard against her chest, "I suppose you could say that, but I never found it to be so."

Dilandau's grin didn't waver and she wondered what he was thinking. She realized his eyes were a close color to Van's, except they lacked the earthy brown hue the king possessed. His eyes were a vivid red like roses, or perhaps a more sickening tint like blood. Whichever, his eyes had dangerous, thirsty shine to them that was to be avoided especially by her.

She needed to escape him before his suspicions led him to her secret.

Glancing around the room, she noticed Millerina was busy speaking with Dryden quietly, Allen waiting patiently behind her. Voris and Chid were standing just to the side of Van and were listening intently to her conversation with the Zaibach soldier.

"You appear a bit pale," Dilandau said abruptly, "Perhaps you should rest."

Hitomi shrugged, "I think dinner would do me well, but perhaps I will take a nap before hand. I don't believe dinner will be ready for another hour or two."

"Until that time," he lunged for her hand and lazily brought the curve of her fingers to his velvet lips. Hitomi felt a violent bile rake her throat and she swallowed to keep her countenance. His eyes stayed on her face the entire time as his thumb stroked her knuckles. "I hope for future stimulating conversation with you."

She bit her lip as she nodded. The firm press of his thumb, however, diverted her gaze to her wrist. The air instantly disappeared from her lungs as saw he had discreetly pushed her bracelet up her arm with the tip of his thumb just high enough to expose an angel within a star. Her wide eyes lifted in barely enough time to see the smirk as Dilandau released her hand and strode out of the room.

She wanted to reach out for him and stop him. She didn't know what she could do if she did, but she was desperate.

Almost instantaneously she witnessed the sight of fire swallowing the room in mighty vision. Everything was smoldering and shriveling under the fires' power. The Treaty had not been saved from the carnage and she shuddered in fear as she noticed the dozen names signed at the bottom of the lengthy page. Looking up she saw Dilandau standing at the head of the table, dressed no longer in his white vest, but had instead exchanged it for a black one. His red eyes were wild and hungrily set upon her. She wanted to scream, but the smoke choked her and she bent over in a fit of coughs.

"Hitomi! Hitomi are you alright?"

Her vision swam dangerously, but she glanced around the room, looking past the handful of concern faces. She couldn't see the flames anymore, but she could still feel their heat and taste the smoke. She carefully looked up, trying to hold back a wave of nausea, and found his eyes full of concern staring down at her in his arms.

She scowled lightly. How had she gotten into his arms? Had she fallen?

"I'm alright. I guess I wasn't quite over that cold," she easily threw out the excuse, pulling out from his arms.

Van frowned, but said nothing as the others surrounded the seer. Millerina quickly pushed forward through the tight circle surrounding her and pressed her hand to the seer's forehead. "You appear to have a small fever. It would be wise for you to retire early. I'm sure Van will have some food sent up to you."

Hitomi nodded and took Van's offered arm graciously. She felt very weak and didn't believe she could make it to the door without him.

"Lady Hitomi, I believe this slipped from your pocket."

Looking down at the young prince, she followed his outstretched arm to see her precious good luck charm in his small fingers. Her mouth dropped open in mute disbelief at the sight of it. The tarot card had miraculously been burnt black along the edges.


	7. Chapter 7

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

**Chapter 7**

Hitomi was frantically rifling through her book as she waited for Merle and Van to appear. Van had immediately left in search of his sister at Hitomi's plea and as she waited the seer searched for any information regarding the Forbidden Spell. It appeared, from her notes, that she had done the spell perfectly, but she was unsure how. She couldn't deny that she was a novice seer and the Forbidden Spell was something only the best of seers should have been able to accomplish. There was so little known about the spell that she worried she would find nothing to calm her many fears.

_'It shouldn't have been that easy,'_ she mused, _'or maybe it was.'_

The Forbidden Spell was, after all, five centuries old. As far as her people knew, no one had ever dared to use it. Who could know what the affects were?

The thought unnerved Hitomi. _'What if it's not as dangerous as everyone thinks it is?'_

She immediately stomped on the line of thought. It was dangerous to doubt the old teachings. The elders knew enough to be wary that should be enough for her. Unfortunately, curiosity was nibbling on her thoughts, like it had done so many times during her training in the temple. She wondered what exactly the elders knew.

A knock on the door broke through her pacing, and, without looking up from her book, the seer hastily answered, "Come in."

She heard the door creak, but she didn't look up as her eyes scanned a new page.

"What is it, Hitomi?"

The seer's eyes jumped up as Merle closed the door behind her and Van. The young king appeared half out of mind as he strode towards her; his eyes were frantically studying her face and he appeared ready to leap over the last few feet separating them. He looked foreign to her as he drew to her side. He was a king of calm countenance, even if he had an explosive temper, and at the present moment he was hardly calm.

Her eyes dropped under his stare as a thought crawled into her mind, unbidden. Did he need to know all that was happening?

It was a scary thought and she felt guilty even considering it. She wanted so desperately to confess everything to him, to finally have someone to lean on after weeks of back to back nightmares, but she couldn't She couldn't tell him about the cards, and there was no way to explain the random visions plaguing her in the last hours. She didn't even grasp what the visions were trying to tell her so what could she tell him?

The only thing she could possibly talk about was Dilandau.

But who was that man exactly? She knew she had never met him before, but she had already witnessed two visions of him. She might have been giving years of training to decipher her visions, but her mind was pulling a blank.

Visions came in two forms: symbolic and literal. Visions came with the same problem as dreams. Images were always a mixture of the two forms, blurring and melding into one big picture. It was hard to tell what was real and what was just symbolic.

The first vision of Dilandau had to be symbolic, but she couldn't make heads or tells of it. Why would a baby be born of fire? And who was the baby born of water?

The second vision was just as confusing. Would Fanelia really burn? Was the Treaty going to fall apart? Why? How?

She didn't understand. What was God trying to tell her with these visions?

"I-I'm not sure," Hitomi mumbled as she raked her fingers through her messy bangs. "Somehow D-Dilandau knows who I am."

"What?" Van gasped.

Merle rushed forward and grabbed the seer's arm, "What do you mean, Hitomi?"

"He knows," Hitomi incoherently mumbled, "I don't know how, but he knows."

"Are you sure? Maybe you're wrong," Van offered.

The seer shook her head as Merle added, "Yea. Maybe you're just stressed out. How could they know you're not a noble?"

"No!" Hitomi cried with a sob, breaking away from the pair, "He knows I'm a Mystic! I'm telling you he knows exactly who I am!"

They fell silent as the watched the seer slip into a panic. Hitomi's hand clapped over her wrist, the one that had been uncovered to the Zaibach captain's eyes.

"He didn't just see my tattoo, he revealed it to me!" she snapped, "He knew who I was the moment I walked through that door."

Van shook his head, "But that can't be possible. There is no way your presence or origin could have reach ears as far as Zaibach."

Hitomi sighed heavily and covered her eyes, "I'm telling you Van, he knows. I don't have any earthly idea how he knows, but he does and I'm going to take a wild guess he's ready to use the information any way he sees fit."

The king froze and the she-cat's tail dropped lifelessly to the floor. "What?"

Hitomi's hand dropped from her face, but the numb feeling in her heart stayed. "He knew the whole time I was playing noble, yet he never spoke a word. He didn't even try to say anything out loud after the meeting when there were fewer ears. He waited and gave me the only silent clue I needed to know he had discovered my secret. He wants something; why else keep his mouth shut?"

"I will not be toyed with by Zaibach," Van growled dangerously. His fingers clutched the hilt of sword as he struck a pace back and forth across the room. "I should have never agreed for Zaibach to be part of this treaty. Ten years didn't change them."

Merle shook her head, "You did it to help Fanelia's strength. You knew it would better to have them as an alliance than as an enemy."

"Yes, and now I've condemned Fanelia to Zaibach's trickery once again," he thundered loudly.

"Van!" Merle hissed, "Keep your voice down! We can't get the others in an uproar!"

"She's right," Hitomi jumped in, "Van I know you still hurt from Zaibach's past treachery towards your family and country, but you have to understand he knows he holds an important piece of knowledge. To fly against him might do a great deal of damage."

Van shook his head as he exhaled through clenched teeth, "Wh-hy—ack!"

Abruptly the young king crumbled to the floor, his hand clutching his forehead as he fell. Merle and Hitomi were instantly at his side as tremors overtook him. The seer hastily pushed his hand out of the way and pressed her palm over his forehead. Once she saw flames licking his mind, Hitomi began tugging violently at the visions.

"It's another episode," she mumbled as she closed her eyes. Merle tensed as she saw the seer involuntarily shuddered. "It's a bad one."

Van began to twist in her arms and slid down onto his side, "Hitomi…"

"I've got you," she whispered softly, "Don't worry. It'll pass."

At least she prayed it did. She had never encountered so strong a vision as this. How could his symptoms jump so dramatically? Her fingers tightened as a wave of heat swam over her. Sweat beaded at her brow as the reality of the dream hit scorching levels. Yanking hard, she suddenly felt the last of images slip from his head like water. Unfortunately, the subconscious jerk threw her off balance and she crashed to her side. She gasped as the wind was knocked out of her. Her surroundings were in flames again, and Hitomi realized the reoccurrences were a sign of definite destruction.

Fanelia was going to burn.

Hitomi stared up into the young king's worried eyes and knew she was convulsing. Loosing control of her limbs, she began to jerk wildly, her eyes rolling up into the back of her skull. He squeezed her to his chest as he desperately tried to keep her body from lurching out of his hold, "Hitomi? Hitomi?"

Random flashes raced violently through her head as she trembled. It was as if every vision she had encounter suddenly fell out of the black box in her mind and scattered. They came so fast that they violently shook her body and strain her powers to control them. She blinked rapidly, trying to see pass the images and find reality again.

The seer began to silently count backwards from ten as she slowed her breathing. Van and Merle hung over her, but Hitomi looked straight past their heads at the ceiling. This wasn't the first convulsion she had had in her life.

Once the shaking had stopped, Hitomi weakly said, "It's alright. I told you it would pass."

The king frowned, "How often does that happen?"

"Not a lot," she replied lifting herself into a seating position. Her body felt worn and sick, a common aftershock. She was so busy trying to suck in a weary breath that she didn't notice how his arms refused to let go of her. "Just every so often when my body becomes over stressed."

"Over stressed?" Merle asked.

Hitomi shrugged lightly as she began rubbing her pendant, "Stealing dreams and visions is hard on the body. It's not uncommon for seers to suffer… convulsions."

Van stared at the woman, noticing for the first time the circles under her eyes. Had he really been blind to this?

"Maybe it would be better for you to miss dinner," he spoke softly as he rubbed her back. "Your body needs to rest."

Hitomi shook her head viciously, "No. You just had a vision, and a strong one at that. If I'm not there and another happens, there's no telling what will happen."

"But Hitomi," Merle interrupted, "If you have another convulsion, won't that be just as bad?"

"Better it be a disconnected noble, than a king signing the treaty," she stated heavily. She looked to the young man and upon seeing his worry, covered one of his hands with hers. "It's alright. I'll be fine."

His frowned deepened as he carefully searched her emerald eyes. If he had found one ounce of doubt in her heart, he would have refused her. He would have locked in the dungeon if had to, but he would not have let her accompany him to the dinner. To his displeasure, he could find only the same determination he had seen in her before the meeting. This would be another time he would chalk up to her stubborn will.

Sighing he gave a small nod. How long before she buckled beneath the pressure? Surely, she would give out in short time.

"Besides, Van, if I go to the meeting perhaps I can gain Dilandau's attention, and in privacy with him can drag his secrets out."

**888888**

Two hours later, she smiled alongside Van as mild conversation passed between the delegates and their accompanying parties. Van sat at the head of the table, naturally, as host while Hitomi and Millerina took either side of him. Next to the blushing princess sat Dryden, flirting shamelessly with her for most of the evening meal. Allen, to the seer's surprise, did not join in the supper. Instead, he kept to the wall a second time behind the princess.

Hitomi shrugged at this, deciding it was the guard's duty after all to protect his princess. She was partly glad for his responsibility. It saved her the trouble of avoiding his casual complements.

Chid, followed by Voris, had the next seats alongside the merchant. Both of them seemed content to discuss matters of home. Every so often, however, Chid would enter into friendly conversation with her. She could see the slight admiration in the child's eyes and she guessed she had gained his favor. Hitomi ideally wondered if it was misplaced. She, after all, only spoke up during the meeting out of request. If Dilandau hadn't prodded her, she would have never said a word.

Inwardly, the seer sighed. Even if she told the boy to find a new mentor, he wouldn't listen. It was common for children to be stubborn about their heroes. Not that she was a hero. She was merely doing the duty she was meant to do.

Her eyes carefully dart to her right, pass Merle's seat next to her. Dilandau was busy tasting the pink wine, eyes closed as he relished the flavor. Merle had protectively taken the seat on the other side of Hitomi, forcing a wedge between her and the Zaibach captain. The three of them had earlier decided it was better to keep them separated. It would be too easy for the captain to lean over and expose her tattoos to the table. It was hardly a chance they wanted to risk.

Hitomi had scoffed at the whole idea, but she had agreed in the end. Although Dilandau intimidated her, Hitomi was hardly frightened of the man. She doubted with every ounce of her soul that his objective was to reveal her at the table. It would have been a foolish move to tell her he knew her secret, if it was his objective during the meal.

Even so, her eyes continued to glance at him when she thought no one was watching. Throughout the numerous conversations, he had been the most unresponsive individual at the table. He hadn't even given her as much as a glance since she had entered the room.

Hitomi forced her face from scowling, _'He's trying to bait me.'_

Looking pointedly away, the seer decided it would be better to ignore him. If she frustrated him, maybe he would open an opportunity to her. Leaning her ear back into the conversation, Hitomi hurried to get involved.

"How long has it been since Fanelia's reopening, Lord Van?"

"Nearly ten years."

"Quite impressive."

"Thank you," Van nodded to the man, "I hear Lord Hitaruo has been blessed with a third son. Please offer him my congratulations."

Jorgus grinned broadly, "I thank you in his absence. Isn't it about time for you to take a queen, Lord Van?"

Hitomi froze at the innocent question, remembering what Merle had said about the touchy subject. To the seer's surprise, the king chuckled softly in response without the glimmer of pain, "Yes, yes. My advisors are most adamant about me taking a bride, but I have reminded them that my father chose his wife so I shall choose mine."

"I would have thought the last of the royal family would be worried about sustaining his kingdom," Dilandau abruptly spoke up. Hitomi stared at the captain and caught the dark glint locked on the king.

Van calmly turned to the captain, unflinching. "If there were reason for me to fear my death than perhaps I would be eagerly seeking her out. Yet, it is more important for me to establish alliances with countries than be wasting valuable energy on reading numerous letters from men (nobles and citizens) offering their daughters."

"I would have been eager to choose a woman if I had them lining up outside my door," Jorgus laughed loudly, downing another cup of wine.

Hesitantly, Van took his gaze away from the captain to the general. "It is normal for kings to take brides to secure their lineage, but my father believed in love, though greatly challenged by our advisors. There have been few instances in my life where I have witnessed such powerful devotion that matched my parents'. I honor their memory by shrewdly waiting for my wife to appear before me."

"I believe that is very honorable of you, Van," Millerina replied gently, "And very romantic."

Van smiled to her, "I understand you have given your consent to your father, Millerina. I give you my congratulations for your pending marriage to Dryden."

Two pair of eyes instantly turned on the nervous she-cat.

"You told him, Merle!" Millerina cried, ignoring the other occupants of the room.

**_'You said he was in love with her!'_** Hitomi glared at her.

Merle giggled as she anxiously looked between the two ladies, "He was going to find out sooner or later."

"Grrr! But I wanted to be the one to tell." the princess grumbled.

Hitomi quickly noticed the strange looks she was getting from Merle and hastily glanced to the young king. He was studying her, obviously confused by why she was suddenly angry at his sister. Hitomi's face became unbearably hot as she also saw Millerina narrowing her brilliant blue eyes on her. She hurried to shove food in her mouth to keep her from whimpering.

"I heard Austuria's is the strongest naval power in the eastern seas," replied a delegate.

Millerina smiled brightly, "Yes, we do have quite a fleet, but Austuria has been known for its power in the waters even in its early history."

When no one appeared eager to ask, Hitomi did, "Why is that?"

"Most of Austuria is built on a lengthy peninsula. There are many major channels that run directly through our cities and with spring floods, our forefathers built a city over water. We have major roads for horses and carriages, but boats are everyday life."

Millerina eyed the woman for a moment, "Have you ever seen the ocean, Hitomi?"

"Never," the seer replied softly, thinking about the high walls of her valley, "The largest body of water I've seen is a lake or a river."

"Than you must visit me once this is over," Millerina said with enthusiasm, "Our capital lies directly on the coast of the ocean. The water is the bluest I have ever seen."

A surge of sadness surfaced in the seer and she ducked her eyes away from the princess, "I am honored by your offer, princess. I would love to see your home."

'_I would love to see your home.'_

"But I never will," Hitomi mumbled to the sky. If she was blessed to see Van conqueror his illness there would be no reason to stay in Fanelia. She wondered if she would see beyond Fanelia's next year, or would she have departed by that time. With no home to return to she would be forced into solitude. Perhaps she would find the ocean. She would love to see water spread out as wide as the sky.

Hitomi's eyes began to itch and she quietly brushed the tears away. She never thought of living a life alone. She had always dreamed of her family, seeing her brother married and having her mother and father becoming grandparents. Yukari was betrothed to Amano for the spring. If she returned on the day of the ceremony would the village elders let her watch?

A sob broke from her, but she quickly shut her mouth to keep another from escaping. Her silent tears slipped down her face as she studied the cloudless night sky. The cold hard truth had finally hit her the moment Millerina had asked her to visit Austuria: she would never see her home ever again.

"Do you miss your home?"

Hitomi turned abruptly, her skirt twirling around her calves, as she met the captain entering the garden. His heavy boots clicked loudly against the stone paths. Leaning over casually, he pressed an innocent rose bud to his nose and inhaled deeply. His lips pulled into a smile as he stood. "It won't be long until the frost steals these beautiful flowers away. I guess they only have a week or two before they wilt."

Her eyes narrowed on him, unsure what his comment implied.

"Why did you ask to see me?" Hitomi said stonily.

_Hitomi was immensely happy Van had been free of any episodes during the dinner. As the nobles had slowly filtered out of the dinning hall, Hitomi had stood ready to exit. There was little chance for anything to happen when there were only Millerina and Merle to stress the poor king out. _

_Leaving the room with a quiet comment about rest, Hitomi had unexpectedly found the captain's soldier waiting for her outside the door. The blonde soldier was barely a year or two younger than her and was dressed in blue armor and black vest similar to Dilandau's. He had bowed and politely spoke of his commander's request to see her. _

_Hitomi had accepted eagerly and was told to meet him in the gardens in a half hour. She had hoped this would happen after an unsuccessful dinner of gaining the man's attention. _

Dilandau laughed at her, "I thought you wished to speak with me."

She scowled and he laughed again. "Weren't you trying to feebly catch my eye all evening?"

She ignored the prod at her pride, "Who are you?"

Moonlight reflected in his eyes as he smirked, "Don't you know my name? My name is Dilandau Albauto, Zaibach Captain of the Dragonslayers and representative of Emperor Dornkirk."

Hitomi's frowned deeper. He knew she didn't understand and he was content to play with her. "What do you know?"

"Ah, the right question," the man replied sweetly, making her stomach turn, "I wondered how long it would take you to ask."

He strode to her slowly, his cold eyes leveled on her. Hitomi tensed as he stood inches from her. His gaze slid down her figure, but his red eyes weren't filled with the expected lust. Instead, they were filled with intrigue.

"You hide yourself well," he commented lowly, "I would have never known you were a Mystic if I hadn't been told."

Hitomi jerked, "Who told you?"

"The Emperor's eyes reach far, my lady," he whispered, "He has known of you since you have stepped on Fanelian soil."

"I don't understand."

"You aren't meant to understand," he snapped softly, surprising her. "All you need to know is my lord is very interested in you, my lady."

Cold ice trailed down her backside.

"What does he want with me?"

Dilandau's grin twisted darkly, "Why are you here? Why have you come all this way to watch a treaty be sign?"

"If he knew when I stepped on Fanelia, than how does he not know my purpose here?" Hitomi replied, angrily glaring at the man. "Has his spies failed him?"

Dilandau chuckled. "It was no spy that saw you come here."

"Than what are you saying?" she exclaimed, exasperated.

He was enjoying this. Hitomi studied his profile as he looked at the roses again. Surrounded by flowers in the moonlight, she felt the setting was wrong for him. He appeared to be docile, studying the fragile bodies, but she knew he was dangerous. She wondered why his eyes had come to be so dangerous.

"Answer me, Mystic. Why are you here?"

Hitomi stared hard into his eyes and replied with finality, "I will not tell you."

"Come now. Are you to become an advisor of his? Are you his bride to be?"

She blushed lightly and she hoped the moonlight didn't reveal it to the man's eyes. "I will not say anything to you."

The captain's pale face dropped its haughtiness. "Then you shall be revealed to be what you are."

He stiffly whirled from her and headed for the door. Hitomi reacted exactly how he intended her to react: she panicked. "Wait!"

He stopped and she realized she didn't know what to say. She couldn't tell him why she was here. She didn't care if he was signing the treaty, her instincts were telling her to be cautious of this man born of fire. Awkwardly, she scrambled for something to say.

"Why is Dornkirk afraid of me?" she blurted out.

Dilandau frowned at her, "What?"

"If he wasn't afraid of me than why care about my purpose in Fanelia?" Hitomi replied more confidently. "What threat could I possibly pose to him?"

He walked towards her, brushing up close. "Join Dornkirk, my lady. He can offer you a great deal if you stand at his side."

"By you offering that, I can only assume I am a threat to him," she studied his hard eyes, "But why I am a threat I am unsure. Does he fear I will foresee his treachery?"

His gloved hand instantly grabbed her face, pressing his fingertips painfully through the temple and behind the ear. His thumb pushed under her eye, pulling slightly downwards to reveal the pink tissue on the inside of the bottom lid. Hitomi winced, but glared boldly into his darken eyes.

"Stupid woman," he hissed through gnashing teeth, "Get in the way and I shall expose you to the fear and reticule of the world!"

"I have seen my share of angry faces, Dilandau," she spoke darkly. "I've been struck down and endured a beating that has ended red."

He smirked, "But you have not endured me. I wonder if you can see visions once I've stab out your pretty little eyes."

Her chest felt empty, but she stubbornly growled, "You don't scare me."

His eyes narrowed and he watched her silently for long minutes, "Be terrified, little woman. Don't think I spare women. I haven't, and I won't."

"Am I interrupting?" a heavy voice growled.

The captain's hand dropped instantly as he whirled around and faced the speaker. Rubbing her sore face, Hitomi looked past Dilandau's shoulder to see a very angry Van glaring at the Zaibach captain.

Dilandau shook his head and grinned innocently to the king, "Not at all, Lord Van. I was actually done speaking with your _cousin_."

The stress on the last word was not overlooked by the royal or the seer, but it was quietly ignored. Van's fists tightened at his sides, "Then leave. I have to speak with her."

"Of course," Dilandau bowed dramatically to the king and turned a final time to the seer. Grabbing her wrist, he planted a rubbery kiss on her knuckles. Looking up through his slivery bangs he growled, "Step lightly, witch, or I might have to burn you at the stake."

Without giving her a chance to answer, he dropped her hand and marched out of the garden, never looking at the king. Hitomi felt the last ounce of energy drain from her body the moment the captain disappeared into the castle and her knees buckles under the strain of holding her up.

Van hastily caught her, "Hitomi!"

The seer wobbled in his grip, but gradually regained her feet. She stared mutely at her feet, taking in the last of day. There was so much to tell and yet, no where to start.

"Are you alright, Hitomi? Did he hurt you?"

She shook her head numbly, unwilling to push his searching hands away from her tender cheek that Dilandau had abused. Who was this Dornkirk exactly? How did he know about her without a spy?

Van softly turned her chin upwards and her eyes found his staring down at her in concern. "What is it, Hitomi? What happened?"

She sniffed lightly as she pulled his hand away, "It's alright. He just frightened me. That's all."

"Frightened you?" he asked, not pulling away from her even though his hands dropped. "How?"

"He threatened me," she replied honestly. He needed to know about Dilandau, else Fanelia could suffer. "He's a dangerous man, Van."

"I figured that by the way he was holding you," he commented dryly, sweeping his hand tenderly over her cheek again. "You sure you're not hurt?"

She chuckled lightly, "Hardly compared to the incident in the market."

His face became grim and she saddened to see it. She quietly squeezed his hand as she pulled it a second time off her face.

"He knows I'm a seer," she began softly, carefully checking to make sure no one was around. "I have no idea how, but his emperor knows and was the one who told him. Dilandau asked why I was here, but I didn't tell him. He also requested I joined Zaibach, but of course, I declined. Then he threatened me to stay out of his way."

Van frowned through the entire story, "They seem a little too concerned about your participation in this treaty, even if you are only here for my health."

Hitomi nodded weakly, thinking back to the cards and her month worth of visions.

"Something bad is going to happen soon, Van," she admitted in the still darkness, "I'm not exactly sure what it is, but its going to be big and during all these proceedings."

His eyes dropped in thought as she continued, "I know Zaibach was asked to join this alliance and I have no voice in these matters, but mark my advice when I tell you that this treaty will not stop Zaibach's forces."

"I know," he mumbled, sounding very lost. "But to dismiss Dilandau now would be asking for war."

"Call on the others," Hitomi urged, "Surely they will help. They are part of this alliance."

"Nothing has been signed yet," Van said softly. "There is nothing to bind them to me, and they will be less ready to sign if I tell them to would be agreeing to immediate war."

Hitomi blinked rapidly and pulled away in disbelief. "You're telling me you won't do anything."

Van glared angrily at the seer, "You think I'm not ready to charge back into that castle and kill that man along with all of Zaibach? It's been hard enough agreeing to this blasted alliance when it welcomed my parents' murderers!"

All at once, the anger in the seer disappeared and a tiny light flickered on in her head, "That's it."

Van's scowl slid from his face, "What?"

"That's why you have been suffering these nightmares, isn't it?" she insisted, studying his eyes. "You think you are dishonoring your family by allowing Zaibach to be part of this alliance. That's all you been thinking about for months, right?"

Shuffling awkwardly beneath her narrowed gaze, the king snapped, "Well, I was right!"

His eyes darted everywhere as he raked his wild hair, "Zaibach shouldn't be part of this alliance. They aren't to be trusted and are a violent threat to my people, to my friends, and even to _you_!"

"Van!" she exclaimed softly as she cupped his face in her hands to force his eyes on hers, "It was never your fault. You believed you were helping your people."

"They killed them," he hissed, shaking violently with rage and hurt, "They had fought for my kingdom and would have gotten it if my people hadn't had forced them back. Now they've grown to twice their power and are playing friends so they can sneak around in their treachery!"

"Van," she called to him as she noticed his eyes begin to glaze over.

"I should have argued with the others," he continued ranting, "I should have never even considered their ten years of silence as being worthy to enter this alliance."

"Van," she began to say louder, more urgent.

"It's my fault! Who else should know better than the king they had scarred?"

"Van!"

"They stole everything from me. Now they'll do it again."

"Van!" she began to see the garden wilt around them and flames leap up in a giant circle. He was beginning to slip into another vision. The physical evidence became apparent as he began to spasm under her hands.

"They'll kill everyone again," he seethed, "They'll take everyone dear and ripped them from me."

"Please, Van," she mumbled as she grappled with the images, desperately trying to fight them down. "Don't do this to yourself."

"I couldn't live with myself if something happen to them or to you."

"Don't worry, please, Van!" she sobbed, pain filling her head. The fire was closing in around them and she could hear the sound of soldier fighting in the background. "Don't worry. We'll stop them together!"

He blinked hazily through his dreaming.

"Together?" he mumbled, sounding oddly detached.

"Yes, together!" she repeated as a sharp pain stabbed into her temple.

"I've always been alone," he whispered, his voice slowly becoming coherent. "I've always done it alone."

"I'm here," she whimpered, hugging him fiercely to her, "I'll fight with you."

His arm twitched at his sides, but didn't move to return the hug. "You'll leave me, too."

Hitomi froze in his arms. The world slipped out from beneath her feet as horror gripped her soul. This was why he had been so determined to stand alone. It wasn't just Zaibach that had been tormenting his sleep. It was the unshaken belief that if he let himself lean against anyone they would disappear from his life.

She had been begging him for weeks to turn to her, to let her shoulder him through this. How foolish could she have been? How could she not realize the torment she had sent him through by offering him her shoulder when he knew she would one day leave Fanelia?

The tears poured over her cheeks as she felt a million bricks drop on her chest, "I'm so sorry, Van."

"They'll leave me…," he whispered darkly, his body convulsing again. She clutched him hard against her chest, trying to will back the shaking. The vision was beginning to pound in her ears like a thousand war drums, but she pressed harder to stop it.

"No, Van! You have Merle! You have Balgus!"

"They can't help me," he choked, "No one can. I'm going to die anyway."

She bit the inside of her cheek as she squeezed her eyes shut from the onslaught of pain exploding through her nerves. "No, I won't let you die!"

He blinked several times, light fluttering into his eyes again, unseen by the seer. "Why not die and end this? I think it would be peaceful in death."

"Van, stop it!" she whimpered, tears dripping all over his shirt.

"Wouldn't Fanelia be better without me?"

"They need you!" she cried louder, more desperate. He was slipping into the third stage. He was loosing all sense of hope and effort. If he bent to it, there would be little left to save him. Hitomi could vividly picture people, from back in the village, wither under the third stage. They had become walking zombies within the towns, doing barely anything to keep themselves alive. Their nightmares had stolen their last bit of reality and they had lived their final days welcoming death.

Her eyes blinked open and stared at his neck, feeling a different sense of loss than she had with the others. Somehow, he had become very important to her, and not just because it was her duty to protect him. She knew it more than ever as she stared into the darkest moment of his illness.

Her small hands twisted into his shirt and she turned her face upwards. A haze was fighting to cover his mahogany eyes, but she could tell he was refocusing his sight on her. New tears slipped from her as he grimaced.

"Van, please, don't think like that."

He shook his head, "Fanelia doesn't need me."

His bangs clung to his sweaty brow and she quietly pushed them back to see his face better. A new wave of sensation drilled into her skull and she hissed out an uneven breath. Her eyes screwed shut as she panted.

"You stubborn, stupid man," she hissed, grappling to keep from passing out from the pain. She felt him stiffen in her hold and she knew she had gotten through to him. "Do you think the only reason we care about you is because you're the king?"

She didn't hear him answer.

"We love you because you're Van," she growled against another onslaught of needles pricking her skull. "Noble blood or not, we love you for you."

"Can you?"

She went rigid, "W-What?"

"Can you love me for what I am?" he repeated softly, his breath ghosting against her ear. Somehow she knew the conversation had taken a shaky turn. She licked her dry lips, forgetting the raw pain raking through her skull.

"What are you talking about, Van?" she mumbled, uncertain.

His nose brushed her temples and she heard him inhaled deeply. "Never mind. It doesn't matter."

His voice sounded solid, a clear sign he had fought back the vision. Another piece of evidence was the pain slowly ebbing away in her head. She blinked her eyes opened and stared up into his red ones. He face was low and broken with only faint warmth glimmering in his eyes. He stared down into her face, searching for something she couldn't quite explain.

Slowly his eyelids squeezed close as if he had suddenly felt the same wave of pain she had experienced earlier. Without a word he slid out of her grip. Hitomi nearly cried out when his warmth quickly faded from her, but she forced her mouth to stay silent.

He studied her for a second time as he back away. With the moonlight reflecting off her brunette crown and the rose filling the background, she appeared like a princess. The dress swallowed her whole persona and left a strong woman who surely held noble blood. He knew it was a lie formed by the night's magical effects, but even still he was enchanted by its spell.

He blinked and soon became aware of the dark circles marring her pale face. Her hands were trembling, the after affects of dealing with his vision, but it was the confusion, doubt, and unknown emotion in her emerald eyes that got his heart pounding.

He opened his mouth, but couldn't find words to sooth her frazzled nerves. He couldn't even begin to explain how his heart was suddenly so desperate to cling to the moment they were sharing. It was something hot, whirling… frightening.

Hitomi watched the confusion consume the man. She felt small and unsure as she waited for his response. Thoughts of the treaty and Dilandau had long left her. She couldn't shake the words from her head.

_'Could you love me for what I am?'_

He couldn't possibly have meant what she foolishly had thought.

Van's eyes locked on hers for a hard minute before he stiffly turned away, stomping unconsciously on the woman's heart, and left the garden. Watching him pull open the large doors of the castle and duck inside, Hitomi experienced a deep hollowness in her chest that stretched down to the tip of her fingertips. Knees trembled as she began to silently cry in the middle of the flowers, but as to why she cried she didn't know.


	8. Chapter 8

Author's Note: If you haven't realized it, yet this story is a combination of the TV series, the movie, and my never-quiet-creativity. I'll remind everyone I do not own Escaflowne (series or movie).

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

**Chapter 8**

As the morning sun peeked out over the trees, Hitomi numbly became aware that she had slept less than half a candle. She glanced bitterly at the burnt out wick on her desk. All night she had tossed and turned in her sleep, unable to find the peace she so desperately wanted. Her fingers raked mindlessly though her tangled hair as she began to guess how much longer she had before she was called on. There were still a few hours. Not enough time to get any decent sleep. She pulled her legs up into her seat and cracked her stiff back. Even if she tried she wouldn't sleep. Her mind was too busy.

There was a constant need in her soul to pick apart all the events from the past month. Unfortunately, she wasn't getting any farther with her thoughts than she had yesterday. It was a torturous circle; when she would cross out one thought in defeat her mind would whirl with another. She welcomed some form of distraction, but there would be no opportunity when she was forced to keep to her room. Only the servants were up at this unreasonably hour and she knew none would be willing to aid her in any form.

Groaning, she dropped her head backwards and began counting the bricks in the ceiling. Irritably, she could only get to thirteen before her thoughts would jump and bulge. Baring her teeth in weary frustration, Hitomi began to wonder if she were to slam a brick against her skull would it shut up her inner voice.

She wasn't getting any where as she struggled to see the big picture of the puzzle. Maybe it was a bit much to assume, even for a seer, but she believed ever since her arrival in Fanelia a series of events had been falling into place. She just couldn't quite grasp what.

A weak sigh exhaled through her nostrils and leaned forward to pinch the arch of her nose. She needed to focus her mind or she wouldn't make it through breakfast. A treacherous idea interrupted her and she recounted how long it would be before the nobles woke. She had two hours at the minimum.

Without a moment's hesitation she lurched from her chair and stiffly crossed the room to her hidden robes beneath the bed. She personally didn't see the point of hiding her things, but Merle had insisted, exclaiming that some nobles could be a nosy bunch and she couldn't risk being discovered.

Hitomi stalled as she went to twist the last bit of cloth into place. Her heart beat guilty as she realized she was being selfish. There was only a slim chance she would be seen, but there still was a risk. Biting down on her tongue, the seer tugged violently on the loop and finished the tying the knot. She would be back long before anyone woke. Besides, she needed to regain calmness in her soul.

Slowly cracking open her door, the seer peeked at the shadowy hall. Guards lined the way and they gave her a sleepy glance, but otherwise, the hall was completely void of foreign soldiers and royal guests. Grinning brightly, the seer ducked into the hall and padded barefoot towards her destination. Taking an alternative route to avoid the guestrooms' wing, it took a few extra minutes to get to the door, but once she did she barreled out of the exit and into the morning.

Stumbling to a stop, she checked the windows for any early risers. Seeing no one, the seer shot off down the stone path, passing the mass of flowers. The dew clung to her feet, slipping in between her toe and causing her to slide along the path. The garden dragged further away as the tree line approached. The last bit of the castle's edifice, the stone fences, fell away and suddenly she was in the middle of the gigantic back yard of wild grass. It was tempting to roll in it like she had when she was little, but she didn't enjoy the idea of getting her clothes soaked.

Nostrils flaring, Hitomi inhaled the fresh scent of fields and harvest as she stretched her soul across the yard. As expected, the peace of the morning was mingling into her blood, relaxing her body for the first time in hours. Her hands whipped out as she spun happily. She absolutely loved the fields.

A flash of white stopped her spinning as her eyes connected with the vision of a ten year old boy. Hitomi blinked rapidly trying to dispel the image of the laughing child dressed in the white kimono and hakama of the temple. He laughed loudly at her and her mind barely registered the sound of the mystical echo trailing his voice.

"Mamoru," she whispered. He laughed again and flew into a run. Without thinking, the seer raced after him. He glanced over his shoulder and teased her with his bright brown eyes as she called to him, fingers stretching out for his shirt.

His hair tousled as he snapped his gaze back to the front and he surged forward, stretching the distance between them. Hitomi growled as she pushed her legs to go faster. The air whistled past her ears, combing through her hair. She couldn't think beyond the gentle thrumming of her heart. "Mamoru!"

"Catch me!" he cried, changing directions and irritably slipping past her fingers. Hitomi frowned as she turned to follow. She was sure he had been close enough to grab. In the back corner of her mind, she knew the little brother she was foolishly chasing was merely a vision drawn out of her lack of sleep. Normally, she could force back such mind tricks, but she couldn't find the strength to push it back. More so, she didn't want to let go of him yet.

"You know I'll catch you sooner or later," she yelled happily, unknown tears trailing down her cheeks. There wouldn't be another chance to do this. That part of her life was over no matter how much she wanted to cling to it. This was all she had.

'_Just a little longer. Let me have a few more minutes.'_

"Gotcha!" she exclaimed leaping the last few feet separating them. His little eyes sparkled with mischief as her arms slowly circled around his midriff. Hitomi gasped when she discovered her mistake and fell right through her brother. Tumbling through the wet grass, the seer's heart broke in two as she was faced with the empty field.

_'You can't change it now. This is what you chose.'_

Hitomi hastily sat up in the grass, looking across the field blanketed in an orange glow. Her heart squeezed and she quickly brushed away her tears. Falling into a familiar stance, the seer hunched over and lifted onto her toes and fingertips. One of her feet slid forward and bent her knee. Her muscles twitched anxiously as she took in a deep breathe of air and eyed an unseen path. In one fluid spurt of energy, the seer lurched forward.

_Left._

_Right._

_Left. _

_Right._

Her mind quickly ebbed away as she focused solely on the rhythm of her legs. There was nothing, but her and the grass beneath her feet. Every time she ran like this, fueling all of her energy into reaching an intangible destination, thoughts drained from her head. Sweat would pour from her brow and her chest would crack with the strain she pressed on her body.

_Left. _

_Right._

_Left._

Her soul could hear the voice of world. It whispered to her with each stretch of her muscles. The seer heard the animals stretching in the dawn and the gentle call of the flowers shaking off the dew. With the grass crunching loudly in her ears, the seer leaned back her head and stretched out her arms.

_Right._

_Left._

If she closed her eyes, she could believe she was flying with the wings of her ancestors. The ground disappeared beneath her and she was soaring away from everything. She could almost feel the clouds and the air sweeping beneath her wings. She could touch the four corners of the world, while also being free of their prison. Her wings pushed her higher and she rocketed towards the heavens, where the peace she longed to find for her mind laid.

_Right. Flutter._

_Left. Flutter. _

It was so close. She just had to push a little longer than she would reach the pinnacle.

_Right. Flutter._

_Left. Flutter. _

**_Can you love me for what I am?_**

Then she was crashing back to earth in painful tangle and knocked all sense of up and down out of her head. She scowled irritably as she felt the dew seep through the back of her robe. For the first time, she realized the morning was too cold for her, especially to be out in her traditional robes that exposed much of her skin to the biting wind. She lifted quickly from the damp earth and wrapped her arms around her trembling body.

The vivid of his eyes the night before shined in her mind.

_What do I do now?_

She didn't have the slightest clue. She had been rattling her brain most of the night and she was still as far away from the answer as she was last night. Not to mention, she was now shaken by the vision of her brother and Van's voice piercing through her deepest meditation. A shaky hand covered her eyes. _'Tell me what to do.'_

**888888**

Van sat rigidly in the darkness of his room, ignoring the sun trying to invade his privacy by sneaking through the crack of his dark curtains. He had been lucky to get a few hours of sleep before his routinely wake up before the sun. Normally, he would visit the temple at this hour, but he wasn't ready to see the seer again. Not yet at least.

Clenching his armrest, he went over the late night event with painful remembrance. He should have never said that to her. What had possessed him to say something like that?

Maybe he had grown an attachment to the seer, and had also reached a protective level with her, but that didn't spell out love. At the most, he could refer to the emotion as platonic, resembling his relationship with Merle and Millerina. His heart loudly disagreed with the idea, but he angrily stomp on the insistent voice.

The young king leaned and forced his muscles to unwind as he forced his mind to focus on the Zaibach problem. His muscles instantly retightened as Dilandau came to mind. He would have to order a few special soldiers, possibly Balgus, to watch the captain and his men. He would also need to watch the mail, and if he felt daring he would break the seals of ever letter sent by the foreign men. As a final measure, he would send spies to check out Zaibach's activities.

Next, he would have to gather his advisor in a secret meeting and discuss cutting Zaibach off from the treaty. There would have to be military strategies written up. Diplomatic assurance would also have to be established with the other countries, to insure the stability of the treaty. Fanelia's relationship to the treaty would appear rocky and might give the impression that his country was ready to jump ship at a moment's notice. That was hardly a desirable situation to stand on.

He would have to watch how the meeting's second session would play out today. If he was luckily, Dilandau would make a mistake. He could use the help of making a decision.

Lifting from his seat, the king sauntered over and ripped back the curtains. His eyes squinted against the sudden brightness and he drifted over to the edge of the balcony. Leaning down his palms, he observed his back yard. It wasn't hard to spot the woman he was desperate to avoid sitting in the middle of the field. His heart quickened in apprehension as he noticed her tattoos were exposed to his eyes. How could she risk someone seeing them?

The young king quickly scolded himself when he remembered the hour. There was hardly any chance of her being seen, and she knew that. Hitomi was too smart to do something so foolish. His eyes softened considerable on the seer as he watched her lift from her sitting position in the grass. A scowl replaced the smile on his face as the seer hunched over the ground.

_'What is she—'_

Then she was barreling through the field as if an army of guymelefs was on her heels. Her arms whipped out into the air and her head leaned back as if she was offering her body to the sky. Van wouldn't have been able to force his eyes away if his life depended on it. She reminded him of his childhood when he would run around trying to fly. Those were such fond memories, the time before everything special in his life collapsed.

His hands tightened on the rail as he saw disappeared into the grass. He was ready to bolt from his spot to check on her, but her head popped up after a short minute and he decided against it. He still wasn't ready.

She dropped her arms on her knees and she was staring out at the sunrise when he recognized her shoulders shaking. His stomach dropped. She was crying again.

**8888888**

"The first competitors shall be Voris from Freid and Jorgus from Bosrom."

Hitomi anxiously leaned forward in her seat, watching the monstrous doors down below, "What are the rules again, Merle?"

The she-cat grinned at the seer's enthusiasm, "It's real easy, Hitomi. Basically, you have to knock out the guymelef's energist."

The seer scowled slightly, never taking her eyes off the arena's empty ring. "I thought there was a way to loose without having the energist broken."

"Oh yes," Millerina jumped in from the other side of the seer. "Unlike the battlefield, matches don't allow opponents to break armory. Dents are allowed, but if the metal is broken than the opponent is disqualified."

"Also if no one is able to break their opponent's energist in the decided time it's considered that both fighters lose," Merle stated loudly as she gave the princess a steady glare for interrupting her. Millerina playfully stuck her tongue out at the cat.

"Sounds exciting," Hitomi whispered, pulling her jacket tighter against the cold breeze. She finally was going to see the guymelefs in action. Maybe there weren't colorful banners and flags like in the annual tournaments Merle explained, but it was getting her blood to pound.

All the delegates were seated in the main box of the arena waiting for the competition to begin. The friendly tournament was meant to relax the delegates before the second session began. It was decided to be a private tournament so the extra bleachers were left empty and lonely except for the scattered soldiers on duty. Hitomi thought it was stupid to pit the countries against each other, but she was thrilled to be able to see the guymelefs. She had squealed with delight when Van had come to her that morning.

Her eyes darted unconsciously to the king standing behind the group of plush chairs. At present, he was speaking adamantly with the knight of Calie. She could barely hear them, but sounded if they were discussing fighting tactics.

"Have you never seen a tournament, Hitomi?" Millerina asked, studying her again for the millionth time that day.

Merle stiffened, and before she could warn the seer, Hitomi innocently replied without taking her eyes off the arena, "No."

The princess's eyebrow lifted delicately and she glance over at the cat's nervous expression, "Really?"

Hitomi's heart stopped when she heard the stress the princess place on the word. Shakily, she smiled to the princess. "What?"

Millerina smirked as she carefully leaned forward. Merle knew what would happen next and she hastily checked to make sure no one else was listening. Chin in her gloved hand, the princess remarked softly, "I find it very strange that a woman from Thor, a country of monumental tournaments, had failed to ever see one."

The blood drained from the seer's face and she felt Merle's warm hand pressing against her back to silently signal she was with her. Hitomi's mouth opened and closed as she fought from some excuse, but all she could blurt out was a stupid, "I-I'm sorry. What?"

"Who are you, Hitomi?" Millerina asked sharply, narrowing her eyes dangerously. "Is that even your name?"

Hitomi glanced at Merle desperately, but all the cat did was bite down on her lip. The seer sighed feebly, "My name is Hitomi."

Millerina anxiously grabbed her hand as she pressed, "Well who are you exactly? You have to be someone special to keep Van from telling me."

"Well, I—"

"That's right!" Merle exclaimed, interrupting the seer and nearly catching the attention of everyone in the balcony. "Van didn't want to say anything because the arrangements haven't been finalized."

Millerina and Hitomi both looked to the cat, perplexed. A grin Hitomi could only describe as devilish took over the cat as Merle leaned over with her tail snapping back and forth.

"He didn't want to say anything," she began sweetly, "because of the ruckus it might cause in the meeting."

"What didn't he want to say?" the princess asked eagerly. Hitomi swallowed nervously as she sat between the two women.

Merle sighed dramatically, "You see, Hitomi isn't of noble birth."

"Oh my," Millernia's eyes twinkled. Their heads leaned closer together, the bubble surrounding them squeezing smaller. "But why keep it a secret. Who cares if she's common?"

The look in her face immediately told the cat she had a good idea, and even though it was wrong she was more than happy to let it cover the truth. Sharing a secret glance with the seer, Merle told Hitomi to keep calm.

"You see Hitomi is Van's fiancé."

Millerina squealed with excitement and Hitomi wished she was suddenly buried beneath a mountain of dirt. Several heads turned towards the women, but immediately returned their previous focus, marking up the explosion of enthusiasm to women's simple pleasures (like pretty colors or hairstyles). The princess latched onto the seer with scary energy, making Hitomi sink further into her seat.

"Oh, I'm so happy for you," Millerina whispered passionately, her blue eyes sparkling with the hint of tears. "I've waited so long for my dear Van to find someone."

"Well, I—" Hitomi stumbled.

"For a while I was beginning to wonder if he would ever think to take a wife," Millerina was beginning to ramble, loosing all sight of the seer's paleness or the cat's triumphant expression. "I brought over some of my favorite ladies hoping he would gain interest, but he never appeared to care. I was beginning to loose hope of playing matchmaker! And to think he was in love this whole time!"

"Well, I—"

"When did he first begin to court you?"

"Well, he—"

"No, no! Tell me first when you met!"

Hitomi whirled helplessly to the cat, not sure what to do. Luckily, Merle was ready to jump in with a full story and did so with the ease Hitomi presently lacked. "They met over two years ago on one of his to Thor. She was working in the duke's castle as a handmaiden and had crossed path with Van-sama. In short, he began to make regular trips to Thor, saying it was for diplomatic reasons, but I think it was to catch a glimpse of Hitomi."

"Really?" Millerina looked to the seer for her response.

Hitomi didn't even have a chance to answer as her cat-friend interrupted loudly, "Of course! Why else invite her to visit Fanelia?"

"Oh my goddess!" the princess's hand flew over her perfectly rosy lips. "He did that?"

Merle nodded violently, waving her hands in emphasis, "I don't need about it until I caught hold of a messenger leaving the castle with the pendant she's wearing now."

Millerina didn't notice the seer flinched as she grabbed the smooth stone in her fingertips. Her crucial eye for jewelry narrowed. "Quite an odd necklace. Very fine and a bit simple, but beautiful. I've never seen this type of style."

"I think it's from the north," Hitomi replied timidly, pulling out of her hold. Her hand clutched the necklace protectively. She doubted that Millerina didn't mean to hold the pendant so taunt, but she frightened she might break the chain.

"They got engaged a month ago," Merle deviously murmured to steal the surprise off Millernia's face.

"How did he propose?" the princess hissed, clenching her hands together.

"The doors are opening!"

Hitomi frantically pushed out between the women and excitedly gripped the rail, happy to escape the princess's questions. Her wide eyes dropped to the bottom doors as the shadows began to shift within the tunnels. Two guymelefs soon exited the opposing entrances the bright sun washing over them and glinting against the metal shoulders. They were in a word: glorious.

The guymelef marching in from the right was a dull purple with an orange loin cloth spilling down from its waist. In its right shoulder glowed the fatal target, the rosy energist. It was a bit of an odd color combination, but the melef hardly appeared to be the object of ridiculous snips with the giant sword in its grip and broad shoulders. The plume soldier's opponent was very different. The Bosrom melef was short and bulky with vibrant sea grass paint and pinkish orbs in both its shoulders.

Hitomi scowled, "Merle, why does the green one have two energists?"

The cat-girl shrugged, "Some melefs are designed to support two. I think Van mentioned once that heavier melefs need the extra energy to fuel the armor, but it also done in hope of making lighter melefs faster."

"Hmm," she mumbled, fingers playing over her chapped lips.

Millerina shifted into a comfortable position into her seat and sighed loudly, "Stupid men and their toys. I've never found any joy in watching these."

"Really?" Hitomi was astonished as she watched the guymelefs reach the center of the ring and cross their swords. "I would have thought it would be thrilling to see."

"It depends on the fighters," Merle agreed with a tired air, "If the opponents are equal in skill than it might get good, but when its one sided it only takes a few short strokes before the game is over."

"So what do you think about this round, ladies?" one of the delegates, a stout man with a round belly, asked.

Millerina waved her hand heartlessly, offering little comment. Tail swaying back and forth in boredom, Merle called a draw, not wanting to join the moneyless gamble the other men were joking about. Hitomi, instead, carefully studied the two opponents and blinked several times.

"Voris will win," she replied conclusively.

The man known as Isham laughed lightly at her choice asking why she chose and an advisor over a general. Hitomi glanced at Isham through the corner of eye before shrugging, "Just a guess."

A gong vibrated loudly in the air and the crowd quieted as the fight started. Like Merle suggested, however, the fight ended rather quickly for the seer. Voris delivered a fluid arrangement of strokes knocking Jorgus back several steps before giving him a chance to delivery any form of attack. The general proved to be a decent adversary, parrying with passionate fervor, yet, the monk surprised the audience and got in Jorgus' close space. Pushing his adversary's sword violently away and throwing him off balance, Voris took the opportunity to knock the general behind the knees and threw him on his back. Then it was a short matter of pushing his sword through one of the Bosrom guymelef's glass plates.

"Voris wins!" Van announced loudly to the group. Merle rose slightly in her seat as Hitomi smiled victory. The thunderous applause carried to fighters below and together they exited their melefs and bowed.

Isham slapped his hand down on the seer's shoulder and jarred her. "Nice job, little lady. You have an eye for this."

_'You have no idea,'_ she thought inwardly, blinking back the vision. "Who will be fighting next?"

"Drake from Korris and Li from Rukon."

Cranks were already dragging Jorgus' guymelef from the arena as the two new melefs appeared. The guymelef from Korris was stark white and carrying two energists in its right shoulder. Its lengthy limbs gave a nimble appearance, contrasting heavily against the hefty battle ax in its hands. The seer guessed the extra energist was to help lift the huge weapon. Rukon's yellow guymelef was similar to Bosrom bulky giant except there were thick spikes lining his shoulders and arms. His choice of weapon was a lance with the handle place between two lengthy blades.

Hitomi shrugged at the quick transition, deciding men were impatient.

"Tell us, Lady Hitomi, since you chose so well last time which warrior you will pick this time?" another noble asked, joining Isham behind her chair.

The seer bit her lip. It wouldn't be good to choose the winner again. To some it would be a gambler's guess, but after a while she might gain attention that she was trying to avoid. She casually crossed her legs, trying to mirror the princess's lack of interest.

"I don't know," she replied airily, "Maybe a draw—"

The next vision shook her head as she blinked back the image of the ax breaking the Rukon's lance at the center of the handle. Foolishly, the seer turned to the cat, "What happens if a weapon is broken?"

Merle shook her head, "I don't know. Van-sama?"

Hearing her, the king excused himself from the knight and walked over, "Yes, Merle?"

"What happens when a weapon is broken?"

"If an opponent breaks it, than it's considered means for disqualification." The women's scowls forced the king to continue. "The point of this type of tournament is to see who could defeat their enemy with the least amount of damage. It's to prove skill and keep from ruining expensive equipment."

Van's eyes returned to the arena, waiting for the fighters to cross weapons. "In other tournaments there aren't such strict rules, but today we hardly want people to get angry over destroyed melefs."

Carefully he leaned down to the seer's ear, his warm breath wafting over her cheek, "We hardly need certain people's pride bent anymore than their about to be."

Hitomi giggled, covering up her heated cheeks with a careful hand. Merle and Millerina shared a knowing look.

"I personally find the rules to be unrealistic," a male voice replied haughtily.

Van straightened with a scowl marring his hansom features, "Why do you say that Dilandau?"

The captain's smirk didn't waver at the king's obvious hostility. In fact, it seemed to egg him on. Resting his elbow on the handle of his sword, Dilandau stepped into the growing circle surrounding the girls. "In battle, its either kill or be kill. These rules to protect the guymelef are childish."

"Wouldn't unnecessary violence be considered as foolish," Millerina commented stonily, her blue eyes conveying the lack of favor she had for the solider.

"Then this tournament is waste," Dilandau replied sharply, frowning at her. The princess rapidly turned her head away, hiding the inappropriate way she rolled her eyes.

"That's for sure," she grumbled softly.

The gong rang again and the guymelefs barreled against one another. The ax swept low, inches above the ground, and flung up a cloud of dirt. The spectators hurried to their feet as the fighters became lost in the haze. Metal chimed to the top of the empty bleachers and every so often the audience caught a momentary glint of the sun dancing off the armory. Abruptly there was a dead silence and the dust began to disperse.

"Oh my gosh," Isham exclaimed, "It appears Drake is considered disqualified. He broke Li's lance."

Eyes tapered to the seer and she felt a desperate need to swallow. She coughed lightly and noticed the stiffness in Merle's shoulders. Warmth crept along her side and Hitomi looked up to see Dilandau leaning against her chair.

"Amazing, lady Hitomi," he said with unnecessary loudness, drawing the attention of the entire balcony. "Didn't you just ask about the rules regarding weapon breaking?"

"She did indeed," Isham answered for her, making the seer wince. "You are a very perceptive spectator, milady."

"I actually thought it would be a draw," she insisted hastily, hands twitching in the lap of her white dress. _'Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap!'_

"Dilandau don't you need to go down to prepare," Van suddenly inquired, shaking off the suspicious looks the seer was getting. The captain leveled a blank stare at the king, unable to offer a proper glare with the people around them, and gave a slight nod.

"You are most attentive to detail, my lord," he replied coolly as he passed the Fanelia ruler. Hitomi exhaled in relief of the soldier's absence and dropped boneless into the cushion. Maybe she should make up an excuse and escape the rest of the tournament. She pouted, really hating the idea of leaving her first chance to watch the guymelefs. Well, it wouldn't hurt to watch as long as she kept her mouth shut.

"Next up shall be Allen of Austuria and Dilandau of Zaibach."

"This fight shall prove to be interesting," Isham exclaimed to the seer, "Allen is a Knight of Calie. Only twelve men at a time earn that title in Austuria, and Dilandau is one of the top fighters from Zaibach. There's a chance this match might risk breaking the time limit."

Hitomi's insides tightened as they waited for the guymelefs to appear. Something about the idea appearing brought a swell of fear into her chest. She hardly wanted to witness the skill of a man who had threatened her and all of Fanelia. Her mind could easily imagine the fire expanding from the man's body consuming the entire arena with flames.

Hitomi blinked rapidly trying to wake up out of the torturous heat that sweltered on her flesh. Sweat began to bead across her forehead and she rapidly fanned her hand.

"Um, are you feeling alright, Hitomi?" Merle whispered in her ear.

The seer's licked her chapped lips, "I'll be alright."

"You're hands are shaking," the cat whimpered. Hitomi hastily hid her hands in the folds of her dress and shook her head to her friend. It would pass.

But then Millerina noticed her feverish behavior, "You alright."

"Oh, it's nothing," Hitomi replied weakly.

The princess frowned, not convinced. "You're eyes are dilated and your sweating. Maybe you should take off the jacket."

"No, no!" the seer exclaimed lightly, "I'm actually feeling a bit chilly."

"Hot and cold flashes are usually signs of a fever," the princess insisted with the firm tone of a true doctor. "You need to rest."

Hitomi scrambled to appear healthy, "But I—"

"They're coming out!"

The seer immediately escaped the princess and looked down at the arena floor. The first melef to appear was impressive to say the least. His armory was mainly an icy silver kissed with gold trim, making him appear like a winter morning. A rich blue cape spilt over one shoulder giving the guymelef the perfect touch to resemble the knight. As she thought it would, it carried a double edged sword, the weapon of knights.

After fully studying the giant, her eyes darted to Dilandau. She squeaked quietly as she saw the vicious red and clawed hands. Her heart had nearly stopped completely. It was the monster from her vision. It was the red giant that had fought against the dragon castle!

His claw hand lifted slightly and sliver water streamed out. When the liquid connected with the air it speedily hardened and formed a wicked blade protruded from mangled fingers.

The world was quickly changing from dust and a giant ring to the castle and burning gardens. The roses were curling into themselves like a child as the blackness ate away at the rich redness. The giant reared, screeching a challenge to the pearl dragon.

Hitomi swallowed the scream bulging in her throat as Dilandau's guymelef leapt at Allen. Swords connected at the same time the vision of the dragon and the red giant wrestled. Teeth crashed down on an armored wrist and Allen toss Dilandau's sword aside.

Her fingers fisted in her hair as she struggled to painfully separate the two realities. They were blended over one another as they fought to keep to the surface of her mind. The more they struggled to overpowering her, the more tangled they got and the more disoriented she became.

She faintly realized her body was beginning to slip off the edge of her chair, but she couldn't get her limbs to move on command. The fight fueled into a frenzy and the knight somehow pushed the captain to the ground at the same moment the flames swelled.

She wanted to scream, to yell, to do something to stop everything.

As the knight went to break the captain's energist, a small door opened on the top Dilandau's guymelef and a torch shot out. The knight hastily stepped back as his guymelef was swallowed by red. His beautiful blue cape was eaten away in seconds. Voices began shouting and she heard some ask if fire was against the rules.

Hitomi gasped lightly as the dragon in the other reality howled in pain as the flames licked his naked belly. Her hand reached blindly for the rail as she felt her fall off the edge of her seat.

**888888**

"You're sure you're alright?"

Hitomi nodded dumbly, feeling the nausea begin to fade. "I just need to sleep."

Merle, Van, and Millerina didn't leave her side automatically and Hitomi angrily pushed past them. She was tired of everyone. The last few hours had been absolute torment, trying to refocus her mind and escape their questions.

After she had blacked out at the arena, Dilandau had been disqualified. The ruling had angered the captain greatly from what the seer had learned. It had been a hard call because no known guymelef had ever been equipped with a torch, but since Allen's guymelef did sustain damage (his ruined cape) the captain was considered the loser.

In the middle of the arguments, Millerina and Merle had gained everyone attention and proclaimed Hitomi unconscious. Several nobles thought her blackout could have been a result from her lack of watching guymelefs fight, but her friends knew otherwise. Luckily, Hitomi had awakened a short hour later, light headed, but free of visions. Millerina had ordered her to her room, but Hitomi had openly refused saying she needed to attend the meeting. A large fight had ensued. It had taken a lot of negotiations, but eventually Hitomi had sat through the meeting facing the endless looks and questions of concern.

A warm hand grabbed her elbow and she glanced wearily over her shoulder at the king. Van appeared torn as he stared into her eyes, "You sure you don't need a healer?"

Hitomi shook off his hand, missing the hurt in his eyes, "I want to go to bed."

The finality in her tone forced everyone to stay silent as she headed down the hall alone. The three nobles watched her sadly. Tears of exhaustion were already pouring when she had turned her back to them.

Van couldn't tear his eyes away until she vanished behind a corner. It seemed as if Hitomi condition was worsening. Visions had begun to regularly attack her since the representatives had arrived and he was beginning to wonder what had triggered the onslaught.

"Van, she has to see a healer," Millerina demanded. The king nodded, looking to his sister. She shrugged also unsure what was happening.

The princess frowned at the pair, "Aren't you worried about your fiancé?"

Van flinched and looked at the princess in shock. She smiled at his surprise, and giggled when he glared at Merle. Van raked his face wearily and sighed, "Milly, there are few things you don't know. This is sort of normal."

Her blue eyes darted to the cat and knew what had Merle had said early was a twisted version of some truth, "I'm missing something aren't I."

**8888888**

Hitomi closed her door and leaned the back of her head against the rough wood. The darkness of her room was slightly comforting. Exhaling, she pushed off the door and stepped towards her bed with the sole intent of dropping onto the plush mattress.

However, her exhaustion jumped into panicked awareness when she heard the slight scuff of a shoe against the stone floor. Her body went rigid and she waited for the sound to repeat itself. There was absolute silence.

Hitomi carefully searched the darkness for shapes, but after a fruitless minute decided it was better to run for her candle on her desk. She cursed inwardly as her shaky hands fought to light the match. Light broke through the room with great relief and Hitomi whirled with the candle in hand.

She shrieked loudly when she faced the dark eyes peering out of the holes in the black mask. The candles fell out of her hand as the figure grappled with her. The light snuffed out on the way down.


	9. Chapter 9

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

**Chapter 9**

The muffle shriek had stabbed right to his heart. He had instinctively known it had been hers and a terrible coldness he hadn't felt since his family's death had enveloped him. The only goal he could suddenly envision was getting to her as fast as possible. His feet raced unconsciously towards her room, the two women following close behind him. There were no words passed between them, only driven energy.

A second scream exploded as his eyes landed on her door. Her room was immediately flooded with the hall light and two figures, lying bare to its light, fighting on the stone floor. A male figure undistinguishable because of his black outfit and metal mask was straddling the poor seer. Hitomi's sleeve was torn completely off, exposing the star on her upper arm. His glove hand was ruthlessly covering her face and her green eyes were full of fright and tears.

Van's fear boiled into violent anger and he roared an animalistic challenge as he charged the intruder. The man in black hastily leapt up from the seer, allowing the frightened girl to crawl to the nearest corner. Before the king could reach him, the intruder made to escape from the balcony.

"Merle, call the guards!" Van thundered as the faceless man swan dived off the high platform. "Capture him before he leaves the castle's courtyard."

The cat-girl was already out in the hall, yelling for arms during his command. Millerina hurried to the seer who was huddled shaking in the corner. Hitomi was beginning to hyperventilate and the princess quickly began instructing her how to slow down her breathing.

Van slammed his palm against the balcony rail when he saw no sign of the man in black. He had completely vanished without a simple clue as to how. The king silently vowed a hundred tortures to the man if he was ever found.

Seeing his soldiers dispersing through the yard, the king whirled to the painful scene of the seer trembling in Millernia's arms. In three long strides, Vas was across the room and kneeling at her side. Her wide eyes were glazed over and her mouth was sucking hard on the air to keep up with her frantic breathing. His hand slowly reached out for her bare shoulder, terrified she might bolt.

"Hitomi?" he whispered as his fingers caressed her arm. Suddenly, she was out of Millernia's arms and in his, burying her face in his neck. He unconsciously hugged her tighter. "What happened, Hitomi?"

"He was waiting for me," she gasped between shudders, "He was in my room, waiting. I thought he came to capture me, but—"

Her arms pulled tighter over her chest, "b-but I don't know. He tried to-to—"

"Sh," he whispered in her ear, rubbing his hand up and down her back in a desperate hope to calm her down "I'm here. I won't let him hurt."

She nodded in his neck, crying out every tear she had left. When she had fought him, the man had changed ideas and forced her to the floor. As his strong body had straddled her petit frame, she had panicked. She had bit down on his hand and screamed as loud as she could, praying Van would hear her. If he hadn't had come when he did, then her world would have collapsed.

"Hitomi?" the princess gently inquired. "What's that on your arm?"

The seer froze in his embrace, realizing she had been discovered for the second time. Her eyes slid close and she pressed her face deeper into the crook of the king's shoulder. She wasn't in the mood to begin that story. Van sighed for the seer, feeling her weariness seep into his chest. "Hitomi isn't my cousin or my fiancé, Milly. She's a Mystic who has been staying at the castle for the last two months."

"A Mystic?" the princess breathed, staring openly at the woman he was cradling. "But why is she here, Van? Mystic are said to never leave their home."

He leveled his mahogany eyes with the brilliant blue of his childhood friend, "I'm very ill, Milly. I have been for months now."

The princess jerked back, "What? Why didn't you send for me, Van? You know I'm a doctor."

Her face was slack in disbelief. Guilt swelled in his chest at the hurt sparkling in her vivid blue eyes.

"It's not the normal illness you treat, Millernia," he insisted, "I have been suffering nightmares. They got so bad I hadn't slept in over a week. Everything magical was tried and when nothing worked, I called upon the only people who could physically perform miracles."

She gasped in shock. "You trusted a cursed race, Van? There are reasons why people have never bothered to face the Mystics!"

"Quite, Millerina!" he snapped angrily. In the middle of the princess' proclamation, Hitomi had stiffened in his arms and gone completely still. The seer knew about the open fear of her people, but it didn't make it easier to hear. He could easily imagine how much it hurt to snatch an earful.

"Hitomi is a friend of mine," he stated firmly, giving the noble woman a very pointed look. "She has saved me from nightmares and has put herself in a danger for this kingdom. Cursed or not, I will not shun her away."

Mouth half open, the princess darted her eyes to the seer, barely able to see more than a sad frown behind the king's chin. Millernia's heart constricted at the sight. Hitomi looked more like a small child than the young woman she was. Ever since she had met the seer, the princess had been overwhelmed with the beautiful mystery haunting the brunette. Darkness had never crossed her thoughts for the seer until she had seen the black designs covering her arm.

"I'm sorry, Hitomi," she mumbled feebly. "I've never met a Mystic before. I just… I don't know."

"It doesn't matter," the seer replied dryly. "My goal wasn't to make friends. All I had intended to do was to save Van."

The nobles winced at the cold reply. Millerina quickly leaned forward, reaching for one of the seer's hands. "I'm very sorry, Hitomi. Please, I—"

Though the princess' gloved hand was warm, it gave little comfort. Hitomi wanted to shove the hand away, to yell at the princess. She wanted to tell her that blood didn't make her a devil, but there was no energy to fuel her voice. A deep recess of her mind spoke of the ancient darkness of her people, exclaiming the princess' fear valid and understood. Tears ran down her cheek, but they were old tears, ones that reflected the weariness of her people. The day she could shed the shame of her ancestors was far from her reach.

Her eyes slid close and she silently relished the feel of the man holding her. In the valley, her people found happiness in the each other, but now she wouldn't even know that rare treasure. It seemed more painfully apparent as he held.

Slowly she pulled out of the king's arms and pushed the princess' hand aside. She couldn't allow her depression to continue. If she did, she would surrender to its heartache and never do what she came to do. She had to be strong.

Her shoulders jumped with her small contained laughter. How ironic could life get? She had preached to Van to share his burden, when she was forced to shoulder hers alone.

"Hitomi!" a feline cry pierced the air as the cat woman wrapped around the seer. "Are you alright? That man didn't hurt you, did he?"

The seer smiled down at the cat's wide eyes and felt a soft glow appear in her heart at the sight of her dearest friend's worry. "I'm only a little shaken. My dress unfortunately is ruined. I'm sorry, Merle."

"Like I care about some dress," the cat growled, angry the seer would fret over something so trivial. "I remind you that I was known for destroying quite a few dresses. Stupid, uncomfortable things."

"Did the guards find the man, Merle?" Van inquired anxiously.

The cat shook her head. Her pink locks appeared deceptively a vibrant red in the shadows of the room. "Their combing the wall and yard now, but the man seems to have escaped."

"It's possible he's hidden in the castle. I'll have them check to make sure," he mumbled inwardly. "I'll also have to put them on high alert until the proceedings are over."

"When will that b-be over?" Hitomi stuttered as her vision doubled. She became vividly aware that her brain was floating into the air.

Van frowned when he saw her glazed look, "At least a week. Three days if we're lucky."

She nodded, ignoring their watchful stares. Her eyes squeezed shut as an invisible spike drilled into her forehead. Millerina quickly grabbed her shoulders when she wavered. "What's wrong?"

Hitomi clutched her head, "H-Hurts."

Her fingers slid over her eyes and something warm slid down her palm. Squinting pass the throb in her temples, the seer recognized with sickening dread the red blotches painting her pale skin. She didn't registered she had fallen forward until the faint call of her name reached her ears. _'Nosebleed…'_

She never remembered the rest.

**888888**

She was a mysterious beauty. White hair like a summer cloud flowed in a massive waterfall down her back, inches passed her waist. Her skin was only a few shades darker, almost blending into her hair as a single color. The unknown woman was wearing a type of kimono she had never seen before. It was strangely familiar to her, but she couldn't begin to guess why. Her sad eyes locked on her and pink lips slowly opened and closed. An echoing song poured out from her mouth.

_Win dain a lotica  
En vai tu ri  
Si lo ta  
Fin dein a loluca  
En dragu a sei lain  
Vi fa-ru les shutai am  
En riga-lint_

Hitomi couldn't force her limbs to move. The words were ancient to her ears, though she had never heard them before. It was hard to sense, but the seer was certain there was a sort of magic within the song. Whatever purpose the magic held, Hitomi decided it was a message—no, a calling. Someone was calling her.

"Who are you?" she yelled.

_Win chent a lotica  
En vai tu ri  
Si lo ta  
Fin dein a loluca  
Si katigura neuver  
Floreria for chesti  
Si entina_

"What do you want?" For the first time, her jade eyes fell on the woman's pointed ears. "What are you?"

_La la la la la la la la la...  
Fontina blu cent  
De cravi esca letisimo  
La la la la la la la la la...  
De quantian  
La finde reve_

_Win dain a lotica  
En vai tu ri  
Si lo ta  
Fin dein a loluca  
En dragu a sei lain  
Vi fa-ru les shutai am  
En riga-lint_

The song ended and a new sparkle entered the woman's blue eyes. "Help him, please."

"I don't understand," Hitomi answered, trying to fight against the spell against her limbs to run to the woman. "Help who?"

"Please help so his sorrow will be no more," she whispered, her voice carrying unnaturally to the seer's ears.

"Sorrow?" Hitomi's heart began to beat rapidly, thundering through the air like war drums. "Are you talking about Van? Am I supposed to be helping Van?"

"Choose the path of Gaea's destruction."

All the air raced out of her lungs. "W-What?"

"Choose the path of Gaea's destruction," she repeated emotionless, "So all suffering will cease to be. Help him, please."

Her eyes snapped open, darting everywhere in a panic.

"Good you're awake," Allen said warmly as he lightly dabbed her forehead. Hitomi bluntly ignored the knight as the unforgettable vision repeated through her mind. She hastily rose in her seat, forcing the man to pull back. "Calm down. You probably shouldn't move. Millernia will be back in a second."

"How long have I been out?" Hitomi asked, fearful of an answer.

Allen dunked the rag into a bowl of water. "All night. You gave us all a fright, even if you are a Mystic."

Hitomi instantly glanced down at her clothes and realized she had been put in her favorite sleeveless nightdress with buttons down the length of the front. She sighed heavily and shifted to her side, away from the man. "If you don't mind I would like to be left alone."

"I'm sorry, milady, but I was sworn to watch over you as Millernia went to grab some more herbs from the garden." Hitomi sighed heavily at the sound of his warm voice. Allen wasn't her favorite person in the world, though he was obvious man of honor and integrity. She was, however, glad that he didn't appear to be disgusted with her heritage.

"Thank you," she whispered, curling up into a small ball under the warm blanket. She felt the mattress shift slightly towards her, almost like he was leaning closer.

"It is my honor as a knight and a man to guard you," he replied softly, "I've heard of what you have done for Lord Fanelia and the treaty. It is very noble of you."

Her eyes fluttered open and she slowly turned to stare at the knight. Did he just?

The glint in his eyes was remarkably different from days ago. It appeared to be close to gentle adoration than the lustful glint he had sported days ago in the shadow of the crusade. Part of her shivered, unsure what to think of his new attraction to her, but another part of her blushed. She had never gained the love of man, even when she had been in the Valley.

With a heavy heart, she turned her back to the knight. If he did care for her, then it would be her sad duty to reject him. The seer angrily shook her head. This was hardly the time for men after she had seen such an earthmoving vision.

The door creaked open and Millerina rushed into the room, carrying a large basket brimming with leaves and stems. Merle strolled in behind her with a large bowl. Both of the ladies brightened at the sight of the seer awake.

"Hitomi!" the cat-woman squealed, going to her side. "You're finally up, sleepyhead."

Hitomi laughed lightly, "Yea. You brought me a present, Merle?"

She nodded, "These were to help with the stress."

The seer frowned and looked to her appointed doctor, "Stress."

At some time when the women had entered, Allen had jumped off the bed and was standing against the wall. Millerina had taken in spots in moment, shuffling through her basket. "The nosebleed was the result of severe stress on your body."

Hitomi sighed wearily. "I should have figured as much."

"You need to rest for a few days, Hitomi. You blacking out shouldn't be taken lightly, especially after your convulsions."

The seer's shoulders dropped. "They told you?"

"Well, after you went unconscious, blood rushing out of your nose in gallons, don't you think they would tell me?" Millerina scowled.

Hitomi nodded. "I can't miss the meetings. My entire purpose here is to be there incase something happens."

Millerina shook her head, her blonde locks whipping around her face. "You're hurting yourself doing it. The visions are probably the main cause, but it could also be the pressure of hiding from the delegates, doing well during the meeting, etc. This is becoming too much for you."

Automatically, the seer flipped back the blanket and stepped onto the cold stone floor. Standing shakily, she replied, "I will not shy away from my responsibilities."

Millerina stood and crossed her arms. "Your first responsibility is to yourself."

"You can't stop me, Millernia," Hitomi stated hotly, "Van has to attend those meetings, and he can't do it without me."

"Well, I'm going to," Van stated firmly as he walked inside. The young king usually perfectly pressed clothes were surprisingly disheveled. His eyes were red as if he had failed to sleep the night. Hitomi fearfully wondered if nightmares had kept him up. The princess slowly stepped out of his way, allowing him a moment with the seer. Merle glanced uncertainly between the two.

Hitomi blinked in disbelief, "You can't, Van."

The king shook his head gently, eyes hard and determined. "I won't let you kill yourself for me."

"It's not just for you, Van. This is for Fanelia, for Austuria, for Bosrom. These people need this treaty." Hitomi insisted loudly, throwing out her hands. She wavered on her feet and he quickly caught her elbows to steady her. Her eyes closed as she took in a ragged breath. "If you go in there and have an episode everything could be ruined."

"You have to rest," he whispered fiercely, "You can barely stand as it is."

She shook her head, "If you keep postponing meetings, they'll suspect something."

"Then I'll do it," Millernia interrupted, "I'll say something about urgent news arrived from Austuria and needs my immediate attention."

Merle's ears twitched, "For a whole day? That's not believable."

The princess shrugged. "What else can we do?"

**88888888888**

_'I don't care what the Austurian Princess said,'_ Dilandau growled in his head as he stormed down the guest corridors, _'A messenger from her father shouldn't take the entire day.'_

Something was going on, and the captain guessed it had something to do with the seer. It was imperative he pushed the treaty through the negotiations as fast as possible. If the meetings didn't progress than the seer would figure out what was coming.

_'You must remember your priority.'_

The captain jerked to a halt when he rounded a corner and spotted the woman he was previously thinking on. She was scurrying out of a pair of doors, dressed in a heavy cotton blue robe. When she turned in his direction, her eyes grew wide. Dilandau's smile twisted higher and he strolled forward, "Good evening, Lady Hitomi. I didn't think to see you at this hour."

The young woman scowled. "Did you think I would be surprisingly absent today, Captain Dilandau?"

His lips twitched with suppressed laughter. "Well, I suspected you would be misplaced last night. This castle is amazingly huge and easy to swallow a person from sight."

"So you did send someone to capture me," she snapped.

He shook his head with a cold chuckle. "No, I sent no one. I might have held some responsibility to whatever trouble you faced last night, but it was not under my command."

She stepped boldly forward, shrinking the space between them into mere inches like he had done in the garden. Her eyes stared straight into his red depths as she growled, "Who was it? What do they want with me?"

His eyes danced merrily. "Your skills would prove most profitable. You shouldn't have revealed so much at the match yesterday."

"A couple of lucky guesses doesn't earn the attention I got last night," she hissed.

"But foreseeing a weapon breaking does," he countered. "How foolish are you? Anyone with half a mind realized there was something special about you when you spoke up."

"I never said the lance would break," she cried weakly.

"It was enough to rise question about you," he smirked. "I merely pointed them in the right direction."

Hitomi paled. "You told them I was a Mystic?"

He almost wanted to lie and tell he had told the man everything about her, but instead he decided to give her honest truth. He wanted to see her reaction.

"I never said you were a Mystic," he admitted frostily, "I might have slipped however that you had an unfailing gift for winning gambles."

I was wanted for gambling?" Hitomi choked. "That's the most ridiculous reason to kidnap a believed noble."

Dilandau shrugged as he walked pass her. "Even so, it was enough for a gambler. Men who gamble are illogical. Why else do you think they earn so much debt?"

"You bastard," she hissed to his back as he strode away. "You intend to make my life Hell on earth."  
"Only until you agree to join my lord," he stated coldly over his shoulder. Her shoulder tensed as there was a flash of fire in her memory.

"I know you plan on burning down the castle," she snapped loudly. His foot stopped in midair. She swallowed as he panned around to glare darkly at her. Hitomi quickly pulled her face into tight glare to match his as he stalked forward. His blood red eyes came surprisingly darker, sending an involuntary chill down her spine.

"You would be wise to forget such things," he whispered so cold she could feel frost settling on her heart.

Determined not to wilt under hit threat, Hitomi growled into his tight face, "Leave Fanelia alone."

"I don't listen to witches," he hissed.

"I won't let you ruin this peaceful country!" she stated firmly.

His face leveled with hers. "Watch me."

**88888888**

It was another day of torture. Between Millernia's irritating watch over her and Van repeated need to ensure she was well, Hitomi was ready to storm out of Fanelia without a second glance. The only reason she stayed was the constant vision overtaking her focus. She couldn't get the unknown woman's song out of her head. She didn't know it till late afternoon when Merle had noticed, but she had been lip singing the song for more than half the day. It was one thing for it to be a constant muttering in her head, but it was making it impossible for her to concentrate on her simple journal. It was making her time of rest unlivable.

Pulling out from the covers, Hitomi slowly walked across the room, ignoring the many eyes on her, and reached for a long cotton cloak. "I need to go to the temple."

There was a sudden shift in mood at her whispered demand. Van hurried to grab her coat and stop it from dropping onto her shoulders. Her shadowed eyes stared down at his hand, unable to meet his face as stated, "It's very late, Hitomi. The sun has long been asleep and the temple is closed for the evening."

Hitomi gently pulled the coat out of his stiff fingers. After a few silent moments of careful search, she picked up the lost candle that had rolled underneath her table during the fight last night. Shoving it back into its silver candlestick, the seer lit her small friend. Once the orange glow warmed her face, she turned to the king, eyes still lowered.

"I have to go meditate," she replied evenly, forcing the tears to stay at bay long enough to get through the short conversation. "I only ask for a few guards to watch over me as I attend."

Van didn't know what to say at first. He could sense the intense desperation she had to escape their eyes, but he was afraid for her to visit the temple at such an abnormal hour. He had the power to refuse her and force her to stay inside the protection of her room behind the wall of guards he intended to build.

"I'll have several guards be present, but I will see you to the temple," he decided after his inward debate.

Hitomi fidgeted anxiously under his gaze, "I might be there for several hours."

"I don't mind," he stated gently. The surprising admission caused the other two women in the room to glance towards one another.

Hitomi's heart fluttered, "You should rest."

He shook his head and her eyes fell on the dark locks she loved so dearly. They barely were aware of how close they had grown. It saved them the responsibility of listening to the warnings in their heads. Van smiled softly down at the seer, "I wouldn't sleep if I knew you were outside the protection of the castle, anyway."

Merle giggled excitedly at the sight of the seer's blush. Hitomi coughed lightly and hurried over to her table. Lying innocently in the center of scattered notes, a black bundle waited. The wrapped sheet had been prepared days before the Millernia had arrived and had only been removed that morning. It was meant as a last resort.

Her hand stalled over the dark bundle as debated a final time about attending the temple. Her jaw tightened unconsciously and she hastily grabbed the top knot. Perhaps if she sought for her discipline she could manage without it, but she was exhausted. As her fingers clutched the rough cotton, she highly doubted her ability to survive another night. Her guilty conscience was quick to remind her, an elder wouldn't have sought the temple's seclusion, but she hurried to remind her inner voice her novice strength held no comparison to an elder. That was pure fact. She wouldn't allow failure because of bruised pride. Tugging the hood down over her face, Hitomi stepped out of the room with the black bag.

Half a dozen guards took positions around the pair as they crossed the yard. With luck, they had escaped the eyes of the castle, slipping silent into the darkness like shadows. Millernia, Allen, and Merle had returned dejectedly to their rooms. They were eager to help the seer, but there was little to be done other than give strict orders to keep from putting an unnecessary stress on her body. Once reaching her room, Merle had stood at her window watching the small crowd head to the dark building. There was no moon that night and their forms lacked substance in her eyes, but the candles they carried revealed their position. The handful of bouncing orange dots made them appear like a funeral procession to the cat. She wondered, with a heavy heart, if the sad emotion reflected the present state of the seer as clear as a mirror.

Reaching the temple, Hitomi had left the security of the guards' circle and walked up the fifty white steps leading up to the grand arch. Stopping at the foot of the steps, Van followed her with his wine colored eyes, knowing she wouldn't appreciate his presence inside. Hitomi gave little thought as she entered the shadowy entrance. Her heart thumped against her ribs, but she didn't slow or hasten her steps. Her green eyes kept straight ahead, refusing to lean on her fears and glance at her surroundings. The soldiers had already checked for intruders so there was no reason to fear what she could not see beyond the weak light of her candle. Her sandals slapped lightly against the slick stone of the floor and she was comforted at the sound. Passing the fifty pews bent like bowed disciples praying, Hitomi's light crept slowly closer to the empty floor at the foot of the dragon altar. The great marble edifice seemed to glare down at her as shadows and light flickers over its white body. Perhaps Escaflowne was angry for being disturbed.

"Please excuse me for my intrusion, Escaflowne. I offer you this small gift in exchange for my disturbance." The seer bowed respectfully to the statue. Placing a small collection of herbs and blossoms onto the stone feet, Hitomi whispered a short prayer spoken in the Temple of Fortune during offering.

Once she with done, she squinted at the ceiling, looking for the skylight. Locating the opening, the seer turned her back to the stone dragon and measured seven steps forward. Her pale fingers disappeared into her makeshift bag and after a few minutes, pulled out a short stick of charcoal. The black bundle and candle was left on the floor in her spot as she knelt a few feet away. The tip of the writing tool swept over the pale marble in a perfect straight line. Sitting back on her knees, the seer measured the length with her eyes and then proceeded to add a second line from the tip of the first. She swiveled on the ball of her knees and was forced to stretch out the extent of her arm to draw the straight line to its desired point. Again, she checked her work before proceeding further. When the final line was drawn connecting the unattached tip of the first and crossing the second and third, a five pointed star surrounded the seer.

Satisfied with her work, Hitomi removed candles and saucers from her bundle. Including the already lit candle, the seer set one burning at each point on the star. Next, she pulled the final contents out of her black wrap. The scorched emperor card was laid on the north point—the closest point to the Mystic Valley. Swiveling back to the dragon, she intertwined her fingers and prayed.

**88888**

Van stopped his pacing to glance up the steps. There hadn't been a sound for over three hours. The repeated shifting of feet told him his guards were growing restless, but he ignored their hints. He would give her till dawn, any later and someone would see her.

**88888**

Her fingernails began to dig deep enough into her knuckles to redden the skin. Sweat was slipping down the column of her throat and she desperately trying to ignore the tingle. Being away from the valley had weakened her discipline. Long hours at the temple were normal days for a seer. In Fanelia, she had barely broken two hours.

_'Please…I need your guidance.'_

Another hour crawled by and soon her legs were numb. Hitomi bit down on her lower lip and carefully shifted on her knees. Painful needles ran up her limbs, reaching as high up as her lower back. Instantaneously, shooting pain ran straight through both her temple as if a rod had been slid through her brain. Hitomi jerked still and her pendant flashed white. Feeling the warmth against her chest, her eyes flew open to the skylight.

**88888**

His head flipped to stars the moment he sensed the buzzing in the air. The warmth swelled and began to strum like a heartbeat. It took his guards a few extra minutes to notice it. The king studied the black vastness, the hair on the back of his neck lifting.

"Escaflowne?" he whispered as a space in the sky lightened to a night blue and rippled like water. A round of gasps followed a pillar of cerulean light shooting down the sky. Van whirled on the temple as he realized the light had landed directly on top of the building. "Hitomi!"

**88888**

In actuality, the pillar shot through the skylight and landed directly in front of the praying seer. Smiling in relief, Hitomi placed her shaking hands in her lap and watched the outline of a figure appear in the blue column. Curves and wrinkled face signaled a female gender and soon the white kimono confirmed it. The woman was in her late sixties, but otherwise appeared to be the seer's double right down to the distinct green in their eyes. Besides the lines in her face, the only difference was the extended length in the older woman's hair. Her hair could brush her shoulder blades. It wasn't long before the light began to gradual fade, and though it disappeared from sight entirely, the woman remained.

"Hello, Grandma," Hitomi croaked.

The new woman offered a tentative grin, "Hitomi."

Tears brought on by fatigue slipped down the seer's cheeks as she carefully stood, "I didn't think I would reach you at such an hour."

The older woman shook her head, "There is little sleep found these days."

Hitomi scowled, "What do you mean?"

"The valley has changed since you left," the woman proclaimed, cradled her forehead. There was little that could upset her grandmother, and when the seer saw the first glimmer of water filling the older woman's green eyes, a vice grip wrapped around Hitomi's heart.

"What's wrong, grandma?"

The elder dropped her hand with a tired, heaviness and looked down at her daughter's child. "A few weeks after you left, soldiers stormed in. We don't know where they came from, but the wore black armor with the emblem of an eye on their chest plates."

"The mark of Zaibach," Hitomi breathed.

Her grandmother frowned, "You know of them."

"They are a country seeking to join an alliance with Fanelia and several other countries."

"Fanelia? The place you left for months ago."

"Yes, but that doesn't matter," Hitomi stepped forward unconsciously. "What happened, grandma?"

Her grandmother glanced away. The coldness of winter tightened on the seer's chest as she heard the deadpanned admission, "They ransacked the villages."

"R-ransacked?" Hitomi stumbled for words as fear began to mount. "How are mom and dad? Mamoru? Are Yukari and Amano okay?"

"Bruised and shaken, but nothing serious," her grandmother replied wryly. "Other families were not so lucky. The soldiers came and dragged people from the homes. Didn't matter if you were old or young.

"They were looking for someone, but even they didn't know who I think. They went for the temples first and trashed all the rooms. When they didn't find who they were looking for they demanded every villager outside. Whoever refused were beaten, child or not."

"How do you know they were looking for someone?"

"They were looking for a person with tattoos on their right arm."

Hitomi bit her lip, "What kind of tattoos?"

"I don't know," she whispered. "Anyone with tattoos was rounded up. Many of us fought back, but they easily outnumbered us. In the end, everyone was released back to their families, but the soldiers haven't left the valley."

The seer's eyes widened, "Grandma, if they see the light, they'll come for you!"

"That doesn't matter right now," the elder snapped lightly, "Right now, I'm here in Fanelia and they can't reach me. When I return I'll choose a new location and by the time they reach the spot I'll have slipped back into my house. Hitomi, I think they were looking for you."

"For me?" Hitomi mumbled. "Why?"

"One of the children told the soldiers you had left with other soldiers. By then every building had been searched and people were being brutally interrogated. Over twenty people died under torture."

It was becoming difficult to breath. Hitomi took a hard swallow, "Tw-wenty?"

Her grandmother hastily stepped closer and grabbed the younger woman's limp shoulders. "Hitomi, why is Zaibach looking for you?"

The seer shrugged feebly, "I don't know. They asked me to join, and when I refused that threatened me, but they never hurt me. I had no idea what was happening back home."

The elder leaned back, "Then why did you call me?"

"Well, I—"

"I thought maybe you had a vision of what was happening and were desperate to make sure if everything was alright," her grandmother's eyes narrowed, the crinkles in the corners becoming apparent. Hitomi lifted her eyes with dread to her idol. When she had been little her grandmother had been her mentor in the temple. She hadn't been her direct teacher in her training, but she had been the one to advise her in her doubts and concern. She had been her spiritual leader, teaching her the way of her people from early childhood and challenging her way of thinking the day she started her lessons.

"I need your council," Hitomi whispered, tears beginning to itch in her eyes.

"Hitomi?"

Her bangs slid over her face as her shoulders began to shake, "I don't know what to do, grandma."

Tilting her grandchild's chin upwards, the elder was shocked to see tears streaming down pale cheeks. "What's going on, Hitomi?"

Shuddering by the force of her sobs, the seer began to replay her time in Fanelia. "The King suffers from nightmares. Bad ones. I offered to teach him to face his nightmares, but they wanted more. Even after I warned them of the dangers, I was asked to steal his dreams. He didn't feel the effects for two weeks, but lately he has been victim to waking dreams."

Her eyes gradually returned to the fall and she heaved a deep exhale, "I was ready to stop. I know it was wrong to chance stealing his dreams, but he was desperate."

Her grandmother sighed wearily, "You know how dangerous it is to steal dreams."

Hitomi nodded frantically, "I know. I know, but grandmother he was slowly dying. I took a chance I know, but it wasn't just his life in jeopardy. It was his entire kingdom. He was the last royal of his family tree."

"Countries follow the royal line. They find relatives to take over," her grandmother insisted. "That's the way the world works."

"There's more," Hitomi interrupted, giving her grandmother a pointed look. "I've been having dreams of the country being attacked. More than once I've seen fire eat away at the castle and black soldiers storming in."

Her grandmother turned away, her eyes distant. "Zaibach will attack."

Hitomi nodded, "That's what I thought."

Jade eyes darted to jade eyes. "There's more, isn't there?"

The seer ducked under her gaze. "I used the Forbidden Spell."

"Hitomi!" she gasped. Her fingers dug painfully into the granddaughter's shoulders. "What were you thinking?"

"There was going to be a meeting about a treaty," the seer rushed to explain. "The waking dreams would have been a problem and it was vital the representatives didn't know about it."

"That's no reason to put you in such dangers!"

"I don't care anymore," Hitomi mumbled.

Her grandmother went rigid. "What did you say?"

"I can't leave him," Hitomi stated firmly, her eyes bright and wet. Her grandmother swept her hands up and cradled the young girl's cheek. She stared deeply into the child's eyes, looking beyond the shell of her body and into the deep pit of her soul. Swirling deep beneath the surface of doubt and fear, she found a swelling emotion she wished she hadn't.

Her eyelids fell close in defeat, "You know you can't save the world, Hitomi. You should have never left the valley."

The seer ripped away from her mentor in disbelief. Out of all the valley dwellers she believed it would have been her grandmother who would have supported her decision. "Then why were we graced with gifts from God? Why do we train for years?"

"Hitomi," she began evenly, "I know you want to help this man and his country, but you are still a novice seer. You're doubts and fears are affecting everything you do."

"I'm trying to help."

"I know," her grandmother interrupted gently, "But its making things worse. You need to be careful."

Hitomi tried to defend herself. "But I—"

"You cannot change fate, Hitomi," she persisted louder, "This is the will of God. This country is meant to crumple."

Hitomi stared mutely at her grandmother. Every ounce of her life had followed her grandmother's advice. She had held a kindness and a wisdom the other elders had lacked. She had always thought of her as a person who advice was like valuable jewels, scarce and rich. But as she looked into her stern face, all she could do was respond in one way.

"No!" Hitomi yelled, flinging back.

Her grandmother watched her sadly, obviously prepared for her reaction. "I know this is hard especially when you lo—"

"No!" the seer repeated desperately, "There has to be something that can be done."

"Hitomi! If you continue on this path you ultimately bring about Fanelia's destruction regardless of what you do."

"There is no such thing as predetermined fate!" Hitomi cried, whipping out her arms, "You taught me that life is determined by what we do! I can stop this!"

"No, I taught that there are dozen of fates," her grandmother snapped, gripping her granddaughter's shoulder. "But your doubt and fear is pulling the worst fate into place. You can't hope to help if you don't trust in the people around you."

Hitomi flinched, unaccustomed to her harsh tone. She silently bowed her head in shame, "I'm sorry, grandma."

The elderly woman sighed in despair at the sight of new tears streaming down the child's face. Her wrinkled fingers gentle cradled the girl's face. When the teary eyes looked up, she smiled softly, "No, I'm sorry you have to suffer this."

Hitomi sniffed loudly, "What should I do, grandma? There is so much happening. The Forbidden Spell, Zaibach, the treaty—"

"Trust in them," she replied firmly, her face shinning with sadness and love. "More so trust in yourself."

Hitomi broke instantly in her arms, burying her face deep in the older woman's kimono. Her tears had barely wet the elder's clothes when the blue light abruptly separated the pair. Hitomi gasped in despair as her grandmother's hands slipped from shoulders. "Grandma!"

She smiled down at the young seer as she began to float up towards the skylight. "I've always believed you to be stronger than most, Hitomi. Believe in them."

The seer desperately reached out for her mentor, "Grandma!"

In a few seconds, the light flashed a brilliant white and left Hitomi alone in the weak glow of her candles. Hitomi's chest heaved and an ocean of tears rolled over her face. Even with her grandmother's visit, she felt as lost as she had for the last hours. Her knees buckle in minutes. Shoving her wet face into her hands, she cried out her pain to the shadows, unaware a figure stood against the moon shinning in the doorway.

Gradually, the dark figure walked further into the room, heading straight for the broken woman. "Hitomi?"

The seer stiffened when she heard him. She didn't even bother to look up as he entered the ring of light. There was nothing to say or any where to hide.

"Hitomi?" His knee dropped and his hand slowly swept up her cheek. "Please, what's wrong?"

She shook her head away, unable to vocalize a signal syllable. She didn't want him to know her troubles. He had enough problems to deal with and didn't need her added stress. If he suffered anymore because of her foolishness than she would never forgive herself.

Her eyes refused to meet his until he gentle shook her face. When her eyes met his red wine ones, she jerked in shock at the glow she saw. She blushed fiercely as he pressed his forehead against hers. "Please, Hitomi."

She whimpered softly and shook her head, "I can't."

His warm breath wafted over her face as he exhaled deeply, "It hurts me to see you so distress and not know how to help."

"That is kind of you," she whispered, "But I can't let you bear my problems."

"Why not?" he questioned fiercely. His eyes snapped with anger. "You have burdened yourself with everyone else's problems. Why won't you let me help you?"

She hesitated, "Van, I—"

"Trust in me," he whispered frantically, whipping away her tears with his thumbs.

Her eyes widened slightly and he couldn't stop himself from brushing his lips over her forehead. He closed his eyes and relished the feel of her. He wanted to do so much more than just the innocent kiss, but he didn't dare scare her away. If he lost her, he didn't know what would happen. "Trust in me like I trust in you."

Hitomi lost herself in his arms as he wrapped her in a tight hug. His cheek brushed hers and soon her tears covered his tan skin. She let out a tired breath and clutched the back of his shirt. Her mind was quickly shutting down as he brushed a second kiss on her temple. "I trust you."


	10. Chapter 10

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

* * *

** Chapter 10**

* * *

Van stared blankly at the window, his eyes subconsciously following the raindrops dripping down the fogged pane. He ignored the need to respond as the door opened behind him. As a pair of feet padded across the library floor towards the king, his breath caressed the cold glass and slowly a white haze covered the spot the warm air had touched. It wasn't quite cold enough to snow yet, but it wouldn't be long. He guessed another couple of weeks at the least. 

"What wrong, Van-sama?"

He exhaled deeply and bowed his head. His fingers gentle touched his red cheek and winced at the tenderness. "I screwed up."

Merle frowned and her eyes widened as she noticed the handprint. She flew forward and Van quietly walked over to a nearby chair to sit down. Merle's tail was straight up and stiff as she studied the mark.

"What happened?" she hissed, "Who did this?"

He wearily whispered a name and immediately the cat's tail dropped in shock.

* * *

_Hitomi flipped the page and began reading the next sentence. She huffed angrily as it began another boring recount of some battle. Slamming the book shut, she glared at the title: Wars of Ancient Gaea. The book quickly returned to its slot on the bookshelf and her index finger once again brushed along the row of spines. Twenty minutes later a new title had sparked her interested as she was nose deep in its pages. _

_Unconsciously, she drifted down the many aisles. Her eyebrows pinched together as she contemplated the passages. She soon repeated her previous action and closed the book. Growing frustrated, the seer chose a new shelf to search. _

_"From Unicorns to Dragons."_

_"Ancient Darkness."_

_"Kingdom of Dragons: Fanelian Culture."_

_"Forgotten History of the Resurrected Country Zaibach."_

_She nearly knocked the rest of the books to the floor in her haste to snatch the volume of the shelf. Her green eyes roamed over the worn leather cover. The strange emblem of Zaibach, a giant eye, was stitched delicately into the center. It almost looked like the book was staring up at her. Flipping it open, she hurried to the first chapter, but hesitated when she noticed an unsuspected prologue._

_**Prologue **_

**_The history of Zaibach has forever been shrouded in mystery and death. Before the reign of Emperor Albert Dornkirk, the country was an overlooked civilization blanketed with starvation and continuous fear of invasions. During ancient centuries, the larger powers decided it was unnecessary to send anyone to investigate the country's culture due to the likelihood of Zaibach pending collapse. Thus, there is very little known of its early history. _**

**_Interest didn't stir the world's eye until the 22nd century when Dornkirk had sat five years strong in the throne. Unfortunately, spectators arrived too late and fell in the center of the largest war ever to cover Gaea. Most were killed before ever delivering their findings on Zaibach. _**

_**What notes and witness accounts sited in this book might be considered falsified, but it the firm belief of this author that they are accurate, and the only known information of Zaibach's early years.**_

_Hitomi scowled and turned back to the title page._

_**Forgotten History of the Resurrected Country Zaibach**_

_**Written by Leon Schezard**_

_Hitomi blinked several times, "Schezard? Allen Schezard."_

_The seer closed her eyes and pressed her hands against the scrawled signature. Taking a deep breath, she let her mind float deep into her fingertips and surrounded the black ink. Immediately, she was falling into a mist that was familiar, and frightening. _

_She blinked rapidly, already knowing it was vain to try to blink away the haze. In time it would evaporate on its own and reveal the vision she sought. _

_Seconds later, the haze fell back to the edge of her eyesight and she discovered a dirty blonde bent over a small table. As she had anticipated, the man, Leon, was writing the first edition of his book. Stepping into the room basking in sunlight from numerous round windows, Hitomi carefully examined the man's profile. He had a mustache, short beard, and glasses, but there was no mistake in the rest of his features. Leon was somehow related to Allen._

_"Who are you to Allen?" she mumbled as she bent down to eyelevel with unaware ghost. _

_The abrupt sound of a door opening snapped her away from the author and she stared at a pair of children hurried inside. She chuckled lightly when she noticed the long hair of the oldest (a twelve year old). It appeared Allen was closely related to Leon—perhaps a nephew, or even a son. _

_"Father?"_

_A son._

_"Yes, Allen?" Leon grumbled, never looking up from his work. _

_"Mother needs to go to the market for supper. Will you come with us?"_

_Leon sighed deeply and gave his children a whimsical smile, "I wish I could, but I just got in some research that needs my immediate attention."_

_"Please, papa!" the girl cried, her hands clenched together. She had to be half Allen's age, but her wavy hair equaled the future knight's length. "You've been working on your book for days."_

_In the middle of the girl's shrill plea, Hitomi's focused had narrowed onto her tearful blue eyes. The seer became overwhelmed with a tight pressure in her chest and her hand flew up to clutch her silk shirt. Her focus never escaped the vivid color of the girl's eyes as they began to swell out of her head. Gradually, her entire head began to expand like a bubble, and then the child burst into a spray of water. _

_Hitomi jerked back to the royal library, kneeling on the cold floor as she panted desperately for air. The empty room echoed with her heavy breathing and she numbly watched her sweat dribble off her face and dot the stone floor. _

_There was only a slight chance of mistake, but Allen's little sister was the water baby from her previous vision. But if Celena was the child that transform into rain, then fire child, Dilandau, was part of the Schezard family tree. Closing her eyes, Hitomi fought to recall the girl's face and tried to overlap the captain's features with his suppose twin. Even though the image was fuzzy, Hitomi could vaguely see the resemblance. _

_Once her breathing resumed its normal rhythm, the seer leaned back on her knees. "If Dilandau is part of Allen's family, it doesn't appear that Allen or Dilandau acknowledge their blood relationship."_

_Dilandau Albauto…it's possible neither know about it. In the vision, a figure had taken the fire child so Dilandau could have been stolen as an infant. Thus, he was raised without ever knowing his true family. _

_"What sick person would steal a child?" Hitomi hissed. _

_Her angry eyes suddenly found Leon's book stretched out in front of her. Her eyebrows pinched together as she read the top of the open page._

_**Chapter 4: Dornkirk's Unknown Origins**_

**_It is safe to say that Emperor Dornkirk's birthplace is far from Zaibach's sun burnt fields. There are few citizens who bear the white skin of their new emperor due to their agriculture. On a second note, his silver hair is rare to find even in the elderly who are prone to go completely bald from the culture's malnutrition. Third, his age and health is nearly nonexistent in the country. Due to these thoughts, it is believed by this author and several others that Dornkirk is from another land and has only recently entered Zaibach's world._**

_"Dornkirk isn't from Zaibach?"_

**_A few months after Dornkirk supposedly arrived in Zaibach, the country took a dramatic turn in survival. Before Dornkirk, there were only handful of guymelefs owned by the country, but suddenly there were hundreds plus an army equaling over a thousand men. The dying crops multiplied and swallowed the dry fields with its green life. Buildings leapt to the sky, aqueducts raced through the streets, and people forgot centuries of feeling lost and dead. _**

**_Rulers of distant countries believed Dornkirk to have a vast knowledge of agriculture and industrious, but witness think it was a darker knowledge that manifested in Zaibach's walls. There are rumors among the dozen spies that the emperor holds a special team called sorcerers at his command. No one is sure, not even the citizens, know when the sorcerers arrived, but they have been very active throughout much of the rebirth of the country. Unconfirmed meetings and spell books are the bare shell of the rumors circulating through the citizens. Even if the magic is the center of this change in culture, the citizens refuse to challenge the element that gave hope to their lives._**

_"Magic? What sort of place held magic that could transform an entire kingdom?" She hastily flipped ahead and skimmed through several passages before stopping on a new title._

_**Dark Magic of Zaibach**_

**_…red designs cover their arms… _**

…_**images of eyes and stars…**_

…_**there is a strange emblem on the emperor's forehead…**_

…**_a third eye with heavy white lines, blending almost invisible into pale skin…_**

…**_stars drawn on the floor are found after secret meetings…_**

_Hitomi reread the sentence._

…_**stars drawn on the floor…**_

_She wasn't sure if there was enough oxygen in the room. A five pointed star was the same symbol she had drawn in the temple. He knew spells from the valley. No, it was different. The book talked about the eye symbols and red marks. Those weren't from home. _

_There was a connection though. _

_Hitomi glanced at her fingers and noticed they were turning white because she was gripping the book so tight. She was scared. If this book's evidence was correct, than the shadow creeping over Fanelia was darker than she thought. There were too many coincidences, too many dots lining up. _

_She was afraid to dig deeper. She didn't know what she would find. She could sense the darkness clouding in her search and knew she wouldn't find anything good. _

_She shuddered as she flipped the page and saw several symbol covering the left page. Most were unfamiliar, lines sweeping into crazed designs, but the handful she did recognized caused her stomach to drop on her toes. They were the ones taught to her in the temple. _

_Her eyes gradually lifted from the page and slid to the library doors in deep thought. She had barely drifted anywhere in her mind when one of the door opened. The seer hastily straightened as the Fanelia king hesitantly stepped inside. "I figured you would be here."_

_Hitomi smiled feebly, "Well, I have been coming here for the past week."_

_He returned her smile as he quietly closed the door behind him, "How are you feeling?"_

_The seer shook her head as she glanced down at her book, "Not sure. I'm fine right now, but earlier I was shaking. I haven't been able to focus since the guymelef competition."_

_She shrugged, "It's the stress."_

_'And the Forbidden Spell…'_

_Van frowned lightly and stepped closer, "You sure?"_

_Hitomi carefully looked up into his red wine eyes, "There's nothing you can do, Van. My health isn't a result from a stab or beating. You can't give me a bandage to fix this."_

_"Doesn't mean I can't try to help," he mumbled softly. _

_The seer shifted away, but he followed close behind. She wasn't what to say to him. After last week in the temple, she and the king had grown quite close, but had spent little time in each other's company beside the meeting hours. Visions and the unknown song of the mysterious woman were continual plaguing her mind, swallowing it like a thick blanket. She could barely concentrate through the day and during the night, the song and nightmares followed her into her sleep. Her free time was forced into solitude in a desperate attempt to rest and escape the nobles' eyes. _

_The only other time she saw Van was to tend to his illness, which was rapidly fading from existence. He had confessed he was sleeping pass the sunrise and hadn't been affected by a single vision since the night in the garden with Dilandau. Her logical conclusion from the sudden change was that through the Forbidden Spell she had somehow freed him from his illness. _

_Unfortunately, when she had finally cured him, she had taken the full weight of his illness. She wasn't sleeping, except in short spurts, and if it wasn't for the discipline she had been taught in the temple, she would have long ago lost all sense of reality. If their health continued on this path for another week, it would confirm her fears._

_Her hands began to shake. It wouldn't be long before Van realized what was happening. He wouldn't know about the Forbidden Spell, but he would know she had done something. _

_'It won't matter than…'_

_"Hitomi—"_

_"My lord, I must tell you I predict my departure to be coming soon after the treaty is signed," she stated loudly, never turning around to face him. She was afraid of her feelings towards his reaction. _

_"W-What?" his voice was hoarse, and she winced when she caught the sound of hurt in his response. _

_"It is abnormal for a victim of your type of illness to be free of nightmares and visions for a week. If your health is the same at the end of next week, which is very likely, than there will be no reason for me to stay."_

_Hesitation. "Then you're telling me I'm practically healed?"_

_She nodded and bit down her lower lip to keep from crying. She was hanging on the edge of oblivion as she waited for him to yell, to leave, to agree, to do anything. _

_"I can't let you leave," he insisted firmly. _

_She wasn't sure what to think of his response. Turning around, she met his mahogany eyes and studied him. She had always been good at reading people's emotions, but she couldn't figure him out. _

_"What reason do I have to stay?" she asked tentatively. _

_His mouth flapped opened, soundless. The eyes were so beautiful. He had never realized there were flakes of brown in her irises. The flakes looked almost gold in the sunlight._

_"I need you to stay," he replied breathlessly. _

_Her heart pounded, "You need me?"_

_For next five years, Van Fanel would feel guilty for his momentary indecision to her question. In his heart, he wanted to yell out a resounding proclamation of adoration for her. He was desperate for her to know the depths of his feelings, but somewhere in his chest, he was brushed with cold doubt. If she denied him, he knew his heart would stop beating. So he took a foolish escape. _

_"I need you to stay with me as I go against Zaibach," he replied firmly. _

_Her heartbeat skipped to a standstill and her shoulders tensed. Van barely registered the look she gave him and pressed on to say, "You can help me stop them. You've told me they are planning something. I need you're power!"_

_The crack of her hand hitting his cheek echoed off the ceiling. _

* * *

Hitomi stared mutely at the rain, her breath ghosting out in wipe vapors from her pink lips. She was hiding in the only place she believed no one would find her. With the rain, it made her escape more effective. There wasn't any shelter from the weather on the roof. 

Wrapped tightly in a special water resistant cloak of hers, she was determined to stay there until her anger passed. She was normally a passive person, very patient and calm, but her temper was long lasting when it blew. She normally had to wait several hours before she was considered once again sociable. With the level had reached an hour ago, she guessed she had another two hours before she could dare the halls.

Shifting closer to the edge of the torso high wall, Hitomi studied the wet Fanelian streets. She gave a short growl of frustration and slapped both her palms on the wall. An angry hiss of air passed through her teeth.

She never believed he would request her service in such a way. After all he learned of her past, he, like so many before him, saw her as a tool. Not a person, a tool. A God forsaken tool!

It wouldn't hurt so much if she hadn't poured everything into this one mission. She had sacrificed everyone and everything she knew so she could save a stranger. She had been faithful to her beliefs and now she was facing the possible outcome she had ignored. She had been foolish.

Her fingers wrapped around her pendant and rubbed her thumb over the smooth gem. There was little comfort found in her pendant, the connection to her home and family. She had never felt more alone.

"Why am I doing this?" she mumbled wearily. "Why did I ever leave?"

The heavens crashed and lightning shot down on Fanelia. Hitomi squinted against the flash. It was barely noticeable against the dark clouds, but she thought she had seen a large mass cross in front of the clouds. The darkness hurried to swallow the sky once the lightning had receded and her mysterious mass disappeared in her eyes.

As lightning continued to expose the sky, Hitomi searched the clouds diligently, but she was unable to spot the object. Perhaps it had been airship. She frowned on the idea. The object had been flying in the opposite direction of the docks and as far as she knew there were no large ship departing. If the mass had been an airship, than it should have been docking. The rulers of every country part of the treaty were to be arriving in the next couple of days to official sign the allegiance. Only present rulers had the authority to do that.

"Excuse me?"

The seer slowly turned to the door she had used to gained access to the roof. Standing under the awning of the doorway leading into the spiral stairwell, a surprised Austurian knight stood. He was dressed in his normal blue and white uniform plus a black cloak of his own. His blue eyes lit up the moment she swiveled her head in his direction and her face was revealed under the dry warmth of her hood. "Lady Hitomi?"

"Sir Allen," she nodded, returning to her watch over the sky and blocking the sight of him with her cloak. To the knight, he had never seen a more frightening image of the seer. She was completely surrounded by the dark cloth with her porcelain white face peeking out. The black column she formed against the storm clouds made her appear like the curse she was thought to be.

"I had no idea you were up here," he commented, never moving out into the rain though he had obviously been intending to face the wet weather.

Hitomi silently exhaled through her nose. She wasn't in the mood to be polite to the knight. She had come here to be alone and now he had was looking at her with a curiosity that wanted answers. "I needed the air."

Allen nodded slightly, unseen by her eyes. "I love to watch rainstorms."

"Really?" Hitomi mumbled. She wrapped her cloak tighter as the rain picked up in speed. Even with her body completely swallowed by her cloak, water began to creep in through the hood and dribbling like ice cubs down her clothes. She flinched went a particular drip somehow made it to her lower spine.

His voice suddenly was at her shoulder, "Storms are better when you're by the ocean. It a bit more dangerous for the people who live nearby, but when the waves leap up and meet the clouds it makes your breath catch in your throat."

When Hitomi didn't respond, he turned. If he hadn't had nearly shouted the statement, the storm would have drown his voice. "Perhaps I will take you to Austuria one day and show you the ocean."

Her green swiveled to the knight. He was looking at her intently and a shudder raced up her spine. Even if she had been blind, she would have been able to sense the wave of emotion swelling from the man. The warmth of his love brushed the core of heart and a flutter of joy passed through her.

To suddenly face someone who wanted her for her heart and not her abilities was clouding her judgment. Their heads had already leaned inches closer. When Hitomi realized what was about to happen, she froze just as his eyelashes slid downwards. There was only a heartbeat left of opportunity to stop him. All that she could find was the frustration and bitterness she had been feeling for the past hour. The rain began to slow around her as a selfish desire overtook her. She wanted to throw away all thought and him kiss her so she could for the first time feel what it meant to be loved. It was just an innocent press of lips. There was no reason she shouldn't. After all, it would do no harm to knight's reputation in comparison to a king's.

Thunder clapped through the air, but it was the thought of the Fanelian king's reputation that caused her to jump. She hastily covered the knight's lips with her fingers. He blinked his eyes open in surprise and found tears—or were they raindrops—spilling over the seer's pale cheeks. He pulled back slightly to study her better, but it gave her the perfect opportunity instead to race away without any offered explanation.

"Hitomi!"

* * *

Days later, Hitomi stood in one of two long lines flanking the castle's main hallway. Several rulers had arrived this morning for the signing and the entire castle had been turned upside down for their entrance. With colorful banners hanging down from the ceiling and everything sparkling like sunlight on water, Hitomi was entranced by the display. The castle had looked beautiful before, but now its magnificence was doubled. 

Unfortunately, the display quickly lost its color as the seer glanced towards the head of the line to study the Fanelian King. He appeared to be distracted by the nobles' arrivals. He was only offering short curt answers to his sister at his shoulder and though his eyes were directed towards the motion in the courtyard, she suspected his mind was far away from the carriages rolling in. They hadn't spoken since the incident in the library and the chance of their speaking soon was still very far away.

Every time he glanced at her she could definitely read the apology laced in his mahogany color. She just couldn't accept it, at least not yet. The statement had stabbed a part of her soul she had never felt. She was confused.

Hitomi sighed and darted her eyes over to the cat-girl. She was bitterly regretting her earlier fight with Merle. After she had fled the roof, she had sought the privacy of her room, but only minutes after she had curled into her sheets, Merle had entered. The cat woman had explained she understood the situation and asked to help. Hitomi refused, desperately wanting to wallow in her tears alone. When the woman had insisted, the seer's temper had snapped and she had flung a pillow. Hitomi was so shocked she had hit the woman in the face that she could utter a sound as Merle had stormed out.

The seer's shoulders drooped lower as she looked over at knight. The man was doing the very opposite; he was continually seeking her out. At first, he tried to apologize for his behavior and then he proceeded to subtly charm her. Plus, Millernia was confused what was happening between everyone in between the meetings.

Hitomi just couldn't win it appeared.

"King Grava Efud Aston of Austuria."

Everyone hurried to straighten as a stout man dressed in a navy suit with white puffed selves and feather hat passed through the main arch. Hitomi attentively watched from her post several spaces down the line as Van welcomed the ruler and his attendants. _'So that's Millernia's father. He's much shorter than her, but the wrinkles in the corner of his eyes definitely prove she's his daughter.'_

After conversing a short while with Fanelia king, the man continued down the hall to his room. The line bowed or curtsied respectfully, but as he passed, Hitomi snuck a small glance through her eyelashes. Discreetly studying his party, she noticed two knights of Calie, eight soldiers, and a beautiful woman wearing golden pointed ear cuffs.

"Duke Mahad dal Freid of Freid."

Next, a tall figure approached. He was dressed in a long navy vest and white undershirt and pants. In his head was a complex golden hat that appeared to weigh several pounds. Though, the King of Aston could easily be connected to his daughter, the duke looked nothing like his child. Chid was pale with blond hair while the duke was tan with dark brown hair. If they had stood next to each other and she was never told of the connection, she would have easily dismissed the pair from separate families.

For the next fifteen minutes, nobles continued to pour into the hall. There were a total of fifteen countries being represented in the treaty so the door greeters would be stationed for a good hour before anything new could happen. Hitomi hardly mind the responsibility of being stationed in the hallway. The thing that was grating her nerves was the fact she had to wait to see the Emperor of Zaibach. When she heard he was schedule to arrive in two days she had lost all need to sleep. She had instinctively believed the ruler was the key to figuring everything out—to her valley's capture, to the visions, to the shadow hanging over her life, to everything.

"Emperor Issac Dornkirk of Zaibach."

Her emerald colored eyes snapped to the doorway and widened at the sight. She had envisioned several personas of the spoken ruler, but she had never guessed she would see a wrinkled, elderly man being rolled in a wheeled chair. A purple blanket covered his legs and algae colored robed peeked out from under his enormously long white, curly beard and hair. Alongside him four figured hiding beneath thick blacks robes with hoods draped the ruler with a fifth robed person pushing his chair. Two other lines composed of ten gray armored soldiers stood on the outside of the group.

_'That's a rather large party.'_

The emperor and Fanelia King exchanged a very short greeting, which didn't surprise the seer in the least. She waited patiently as the old man was soon rolled forward and the door greeters acknowledged the procession. Hitomi did as she had done with King Aston and stared up through her eyelashes. It was hard to catch a glimpse of the man as he passed with so many people surrounded him, but she caught sight of the white eye symbol branded on his forehead, the very same shown in the book. Her heart stopped completely when she saw his eyes were locked firmly on her as if he had known exactly where she had stood when he had walked into the castle. Her eyes quickly returned to the floor.


	11. Chapter 11

**Bad Dreams**

**Written by angelwings1**

* * *

**Chapter 11**

* * *

Three days had gone by without any considerable event. Once everyone had arrived, private meetings had been scheduled around the clock. It was strictly rulers only and because of the rough terms her and Van were on, she heard very little of what was going on inside. She honestly didn't mind being left out of the boring negotiations, but she wish she could see more of Lord Dornkirk. He was good at hiding himself, appearing only when necessary (like during meal hours). Finally being faced with the hopeful key to her confusion and learning nothing was frustrating beyond patience. 

However, it was probably a good thing she hadn't faced the man. The illness was growing worse. Millernia had prescribed several medicines for her, but the tremble in her hands no longer was affected by the herbs and she was having nosebleeds two to three times a day. Sleep was impossible with the stabbing headaches she was enduring and if she didn't meditate every other hour she would be fighting another vision. She prayed that the treaty would be signed and the rulers would leave without delay.

Even with the constant spasms, three days of empty questions had turned the seer to her tarot cards. She had been nervous to touch her deck since they had scattered on the floor over a week ago, but she knew she had few options left to her. It didn't appear she would get her chance to speak with Dornkirk before tomorrow when the treaty would be sign so with a heavy heart she dragged the box out from under her bed.

She waited until the sun had disappeared for two candles before she dared to dig out her deck. She couldn't afford for anyone to interrupt her and see her special deck. It would be hard to explain it as a simple game. Taking the cards reluctantly, she shuffled the deck that had been her comfort for many years. Some seers used stones or tea leaves, but she preferred the colorful faces of her cards. Cards were easier for her to focus with, though she had tried tea leaves and stones in the temple during her training. To her, the cards were more accurate, having never failed her; however, the accuracy of fortune telling wasn't determined by the tool used, but by the seer.

Once the pattern was dealt, she leaned forward and frowned. "Eight of Wands… Magic… fairly powerful."

"The Devil… bondage? Maybe control?"

"The hanged man again…sacrifice."

"The Tower…misfortune.'

Her fingers brushed her chin thoughtfully as she set her green eyes on the final card, "The Luce? Courage?"

Hitomi shook her head, "This doesn't make sense. The first four connect, but this last card…I can't fit it in. The Devil represents Dornkirk and his control over Zaibach. The Eight of Wands emphasize his magical powers and the other two represent Fanelia pending downfall."

So, it was very off to have dealt the yellow and green dragon. Normally, it **was** paired with the tower, but the rest of the cards threw off the pattern. _'What will courage do to help? Everything is going to be destroyed and to fix it I'm supposed to have courage?'_

Her hand began to shake as she held up the Luce so she hurried to place it back in the pattern. Pressing her hands firmly into her chest, she began to rub her hands together. There wasn't much to do when they shook. She rubbed them together not as a healing form, but as a form of comfort. With her health spiraling out of control, she growing frightened. She didn't know what to do. The sickness was connected to her heart, but there wasn't anything wrong.

Shaking her head and pushing back her thoughts for the time being, she returned to concentrating on her cards.

"Maybe the dragon represents the dragon of Fanelia's religion. It could be Escaflowne." She let out a loud groan and ran her shaky fingers through her hair, "Course, that doesn't help any. What would religion have to do with Dornkirk's intent to destroy Fanelia?"

She thought back to the book from the royal library, "Leon thought he was in a cult. Maybe it is for religious purposes he is taking down Fanelia."

Hitomi sat for several minutes tossing the ideas back and forth. This was the first time after her training that she couldn't properly read the cards. All it should take was a glance and she would know. When she looked at this hand, however, a haze covered her sixth sense. Wearily her chin dropped into her palm, 'It's because I'm sick. It's throwing me off.'

Perfect. Fanelia was about to be destroyed, she was the only one who had a chance of figuring out how to stop it, and she couldn't even perform a simple card reading. Closing her eyes, she reached out and pressed against the haze surrounding her. It was a warm thickness, wrapping around her head. It felt like the song the mysterious woman had sung, except it was blocking her instead of calling her.

"Wait a minute," she mumbled, cocking her head to the side. "I…hear…"

_Win dain a lotica  
En vai tu ri  
Si lo ta  
Fin dein a loluca  
En dragu a sei lain  
Vi fa-ru les shutai am  
En riga-lint_

_Win chent a lotica  
En vai tu ri  
Si lo ta  
Fin dein a loluca  
Si katigura neuver  
Floreria for chesti  
Si entina_

It was as soft as a buzzing mosquito and just as irritating. She tried to swat it away, but it was relentless in its pursuit. Jumping to her feet, she stumbled across the room, unknowingly scattering her cards.

"Cursed song!" she hissed as she grabbed the edge of her desk. She had escaped it for a few hours, but now it was louder than ever. Surprisingly, this time instead of stabbing pain in her temple, there was a hot sensation of coaxing fingers in her scalp. The painful pressure she had endured for a week began to deliciously unwind. Moans of approval fell from her lips.

_La la la la la la la la la...  
Fontina blu cent  
De cravi esca letisimo  
La la la la la la la la la...  
De quantian  
La finde reve_

Her eyes fluttered open and the room blurred. Wetting her lips, the seer squinted on the dancing shapes. There wasn't a need to fight for consciousness like before. She didn't feel the sinking blackness creeping over her. No, she was in the clouds, rising higher with each second. She could almost feel the weight of the winds on her back.

Her hand reached out through the blending colors and the sensations in her head strengthen, dribbling down through the back of her neck. Slowly her body began to transform into a rushing wind, weightless and formless. The words rushed pass her and she began to think of the song as more of a breeze. She wanted to sail away with it and expand out into the sky.

She was beginning to relish the mental massage when she caught the faint feel of metal beneath her fingertips. Hitomi jerked backwards, tearing her hand away from her doorknob. Lines became straight once more and she became painfully aware of her tired body. Blinking rapidly, she was surprised to find herself staring at her closed door. The pressure from earlier swept irritably back into place and her hand instinctively rose to her temple. She glared angrily at the silver knob. She was torn between relief for being woken from the spell and fury for having the wonderful feeling taken away.

She rolled her eyes at the simple, but effective spell. "If he wanted to call on me, he could have just sent his captain."

* * *

Van was exhausted. Joints screaming and mind limp, the king's body was ready to shut down where he stood, but he refused to turn into the welcoming bed several stories above his head. His honor demanded he speak to her. His hurt pride and guilt had kept him from her for three days. 

It had been the worst three days he had experienced in a long time. They had lucked out that she was no longer necessary inside the meeting hall, but every hour he was inside battling the rulers' demands, he had wanted to grab her hand under the table. He guessed he had been relying on her too much this last months and was having trouble standing alone again. He had been able to ignore the constricting strain on his chest up until a few hours earlier when he had mistakenly seen her face in the reflection of a window. She was haunting his every thought.

He knew he had been a fool to avoid her the last few days. It was his fault she was angry, not hers. The problem was he couldn't find the will to step forward. If he apologized he would have to explain why he had said it, which would lead to his true intentions. Whenever he considered speaking with her the swell of doubt would course through him.

Her possible rejection would destroy him. It was not an exaggerated assumption to believe. For two months, he had barely been able to stand against the pressure of status and after she had entered his life, his strength had returned. If she left because her job was completed, he irrationally thought he could press forward being ignorant of what her feelings were to him, but if she confessed she loved him platonically, then he would crumple.

_'Van-sama, you have to tell her.'_

_'I can't.'_

_'Even if you don't tell her, she's going to leave. She said so.'_

He cringed at the thought. That would be a horrible day. _'I can't, Merle.'_

_'What if she loved you?' _His heart wavered each time the sentence repeated through his mind. He had never considered the possibility. It had been subconscious glimmer of hope, but he didn't dare to hang onto the weak thread.

Unfortunately, when Merle had pressed with the question, he was immediately swamped with images of him and her smiling. She was running through the surf as they visited the ocean. He was surprising her with a bouquet. She was standing in a snow covered field. They were sitting on the roof, sharing a blanket as they watched the stars twinkle. She was dressed in royal garments—a pearl white wedding dress. They were leaning towards one another about to share a kiss.

Heart racing, Van blinked awake as his cheeks flushed. He had to find her and tell her everything. He couldn't push it out of his mind anymore. He could no accept living on without ever knowing. If she rejected him, then at least he would die without regret of watching her walk out of his life.

He stepped around a corner and almost as if she had heard his inner voice, she stood in the hallway. Her back was to him, but her robe was unmistakable. The young king's face burst into a smile. He had nearly opened his mouth to call her name when the seer had unexpectedly stopped to knock on a bedroom door. The king froze, curious to see who she was seeking at such a late hour. Shock shot through him when a Zaibach soldier stepped out. Hitomi didn't even appear surprised when the figure stated dryly, "He's been expecting you."

* * *

Hitomi nodded and waited for the soldier to offer her entrance before walking in. The room was dimly lit with a dozen candles scattered throughout the large chamber. There were at least three guards hiding in the shadows of the bedroom pass the large sitting room she had entered. When the lock clicked behind her, she became aware of the danger she was placing herself in. 

There was a huge amount of dark magic festering in the room. She could see it slithering across the floor, fat and rubbery. There were hundreds of strands intertwining and forming a live blanket that filled every corner. Each figure in the room was covered with the magic. To her eyes, the blackness was like worms, rolling over themselves and latching firmly onto the occupants in the chamber. The magic was swelling like leeches, eating off each of their life force. When she glanced at her feet, she saw the magic shivering inches away from her toes. Every so often it would try to reach out, but would cringe when it brushed with her aura.

Lifting her head, she found the person she was desperate to meet. Dressed in a rich forest green robe with a dark blanket sprawled over his lap, Dornkirk waited on the loveseat in the nest of the black magic. His white beard made him look ghostly in the candlelight, adding to his building devilish persona. Dark eyes locked on her and she shifted under its gaze. One of the cloaked figures she had seen days ago was kneeling at his side while Dilandau was at attention by the armrest. The captain smirked at her, but she ignored it.

Hitomi took a short breath to inspect the rest of the darkness and realized the other four cloaked beings were close to the walls, nearly invisible with their dark apparel. They were like sentinels, dark and intimidating. To her, they were worse than the seven soldiers guarding the room. She could only guess what purpose the unknown attendants served to the emperor.

"I didn't believe you could shake off a summoning." Hitomi returned her attention back to the loveseat, hearing the Zaibach leader's scratchy voice for the first time since his arrival. The emperor's face was passive as he studied her, even his eyebrows didn't offer any emotion to read.

Hitomi did her best to mirror the man, "A summoning is a simple spell. A random taste or touch can break it. I'm not use to smooth metal so my door handle woke me."

"It takes a high level Mystic to recognize the spell."

"I see Dilandau has told you about me." The captain's smirk tightened at her pointed glare.

"Yes, he was sent to gain information on you, but I already knew a great deal before the first day you two met."

A soldier shifted and her eyes darted warily, "You were spying on me before."

She meant it as a statement, but the emperor took it as a question. "I've kept an eye on you."

"I'm not going to join you."

"I figured you would say that."

"Then I think this conversation is over," she stated dryly. Spinning on her heel, she made for the door and the black magic hastily fell backwards. Part of her was screaming to turn around and demand a thousand answers from the man, but she needed to play her cards carefully. The man wasn't going to hand over answers. Luckily, he took her bluff and a soldier stepped forward to block her exit. "Well, I think you don't understand the situation."

His words made the back of her neck tingle. She glanced over her shoulder at the emperor, "Explain it to me."

His mustache lifted in a smile, "You have no idea what's going on, do you?"

The seer slowly turned. She frowned when saw the merriment in the emperor's dark eyes. "Should I?"

The emperor chuckled softly, "I thought that was why you were here, but perhaps I gave you too much credit."

"But I'm important enough to send a captain after me," she snapped.

"Hardly," his voice lowered, "I sent him for this treaty. His second objective was to keep an eye on you."

"You ordered for my capture!"

The emperor glared stonily at the man in red armor. "Captain Dilandau stepped out of his authority. I had no intentions of endangering you."

"Well, I feel danger free right now," she commented as she gave a pointed look towards the soldiers and sentinels.

"I'm only dangerous if you cross me," he replied huskily.

She leveled a cold look on the elderly man. He might be too weak to walk, but she could sense the power flowing through his veins. To challenge him was beyond foolish; it was suicidal. Even his soldiers didn't add up to the threat he was. "I won't let you destroy this kingdom."

"You **_will_ **stay out of my way," he whispered.

She slowly shook her head, "I have nothing to loose, sir. You might think I do, but I've given up everything to be here. I'm not going to waste it by yielding."

"And why are you here?"

"That is none of your business."

He croaked a tired laugh, "You'll lose if you fight me."

Hitomi scowled, "You're afraid I'll tell? Is that it?" The emperor didn't answer causing her fists to curl at her side in growing frustration. He was her only chance and he wasn't giving her any information. "Why did you attack my valley?"

"I was looking for someone," he answered lightly.

"Who?" she snapped.

The emperor sighed, "I believe this conversation has taken a turn away from my desired goals."

"Don't change the subject," she nearly yelled. "I know you intend to ruin this kingdom and possibly many others with this treaty."

His eyes narrowed, "How would I do that?"

Her teeth began to gnash together. He appeared serious, but he had to be playing with her. Her fingers wrapped into her robe to keep her temper in check. "I won't let you hurt this kingdom."

Almost instantly the wave of dark magic that surrounded the room began to thrum. Hitomi flinched as the black mass began to squeal with a thousand tiny pitches. Voices began to chant in a language she didn't recognize and her jade eyes widened in shock as the emperor slowly rose from his seat. As he gained his full height, a less than menacing five and half feet, the stone walls bent like rubber. Vases and candlesticks began to shake and soon the ceiling was ready to collapse.

Instinctively, Hitomi tried to think of a counter spell, but before she could begin to recite the first phrases, the dark magic quietly settled and the room stilled. Dornkirk's eyes were a doorway of brimstone. The space around her fell out of existence as she watched him take a, surprisingly, firm step forward. Just as quickly as he had created a strike of fear in the seer, the cloaked figure that had been at his knees, leapt up and a slim hand gentle grabbed his forearm.

"My lord, you mustn't strain yourself," a bell like voice murmured.

The ruler didn't glance towards his attendant as he stonily growled, "Step back, Sora."

Hitomi watched warily as the hand slowly curled off his arm and she was left to face him. A thousand voices screamed at her to run away from this man who could bend a room. Only the greatest mages from the valley had been known to perform such feats.

"I won't run away," she whispered, looking straight into his eyes of darkness, "You can't scare me."

Another step forward and he left only a few feet between them. "I think you're terrified."

* * *

The next morning, Millernia was helping her pull on her elaborate gown for the pending ceremony. There were so many folds and strings, Hitomi thought she would never be finished in time, but she was too distracted with her thoughts to hurry the princess. In less than a half hour, the rulers would publicly sign the treaty and join over a dozen countries together in binding unity. Someway Dornkirk was going to exploit the treaty. She had to find the loophole before he was allowed to sign. 

"Is there a reason why you and Van have been so cold lately?"

Hitomi started, "What?"

Millernia exhaled softly, "Well, you each have been avoiding the other. Plus, Merle is really down lately. What did I miss?"

"It doesn't matter," the seer mumbled, studying her reflection. She wondered if she should trying growing out her hair. The haircut was symbolic in the temple as a sign of servitude, but being away from home, the gesture looked empty to her eyes. Besides when she left the castle, she wouldn't have anyone to cut her hair. She probably butcher it.

"I think it does matter," the princess grumbled. "This is the first time I've seen Van notice a woman and now you both won't even dare a stupid hello."

Millernia jerked hard on the dress' back laces and the seer yelped in surprise, "Hey!"

"Talk!" the blonde woman snapped. Stepping back from her finished work and placing a pair of fists on her hips.

Turning away, Hitomi's shoulders slumped, "Its better this way, Millernia."

Warm hands gripped her shoulders and slowly turned the seer around. Millernia stared sorrowfully into the seer's sad eyes. "I don't believe that."

Hitomi bowed her head, "When I leave, it will be easier for him to let go."

"Let go?" Millernia was stunned. "Don't you realize he doesn't want to let go?"

"My time is finished here, princess," Hitomi interjected softly. "I might be able to stay for a few more weeks, but my job is complete. Van might want me to stay, but his people and advisors would rather I disappear."

"Like those people matter," the princess growled. Her gloved hands hastily cradled the seer's face and turn her teary eyes up to her blue ones. "Do you love him?"

The seer felt a heart become exposed at the question. Hitomi's face crumbled, "I…I just…"

"Listen to me, Hitomi," Millernia commanded harshly, "In royalty, we don't have many opportunities to love someone. When it comes around, you don't let it slip away. I can't let you leave when you offer exactly what Van needs."

Tears broke through the damn she had carefully constructed over her heart and Hitomi began to sob, "I'm so sorry, Millernia. I wish…I wish things could be different."

"Hitomi—"

The door abruptly slammed open and both ladies looked up in surprise at the people spilling into the bedroom. Having been outside the door as their guard, Allen was among the first to enter and hurried to the women's side. Millernia glared angrily at the intrusive individuals, "What is going on here!"

* * *

The air was alive with cheering, horns blaring, and the colorful snowfall of confetti. The very stone beneath them was shaking with the building energy. Over a hundred guards, wearing their special apparel of royal colors for the occasion, lined the castle wall. Fanelian flags spilled down the white walls of stone, but on the balcony a flag from each country hung. 

On that high balcony, Van hid behind the red curtain, sneaking a peek of the yard through the crack of the heavy material. The sight reminded him of Fanelia First Anniversary after his family had passed. He could remember the prayers and shouts so perfectly when he stepped out onto the monstrous balcony. He had been so young then and the display had been almost frightening to the fifteen year old. The weight of the kingdom had never felt so heavy in the entire year he had ruled. The magnitude of his position had only become reality when he had proclaimed Fanelia's anniversary and seen the lives placed in his care. Who wouldn't become ill from the stress?

"Lord Van?"

Van pulled away his hand, allowing the curtain to slip back into place, and faced his general, "Yes, Balgus?"

"The guards are in position and all of the rulers are present," he replied in his rough voice, "A few of the nobles aren't accounted for, but the people outside are growing restless. I think it would be wise to proceed."

The king glanced past the gigantic man and scanned the mulling figures. He noticed the room was very tight for so many people and could barely mark the first row of individuals. His eyes automatically fell on the pink head of his sister. The small cat-woman shook her head when their faces met. Looking back up at his general, the king asked, "Who's missing?"

"Lady Hitomi, Princess Millernia, and Sir Allen specifically," he replied softly, "There a few others missing, but the three—"

"Would never miss this," Van completed just as softly. _'She or Millernia wouldn't be foolish and be late. They're women, but I don't believe they would be late for this.'_

The young king thought back to last night when she had entered Emperor Dornkirk's chambers. It didn't make sense to why she would go to the man at such a late hour. He feared the nibbling thought in the back of his mind: _Was she in league with Zaibach?_

The king and general stared at one another, a silent message of concern passing between them. Van took another tentative glance at the royals and subconsciously marked the attentive stare he was receiving from the Zaibach ruler. "Send someone to retrieve them and we will begin. Maybe they were hoping to miss the boring introduction."

The general chuckled hollowly. Millernia had been known to pull the stunt before, but the polite seer would never dare the chance of being rude by appearing late. Nodding, the samurai stepped away to converse with one of the guards nearby while Merle hurried forward.

"Van, I'm worried," the girl mumbled. "This isn't like Hitomi. You don't think she's still mad, do you?"

He shook his head and glanced at the Zaibach ruler. He was still watching him. Van bent his head closer, "Even if she was mad, she would show up."

Merle agreed, checking the group behind them. There was a few pair of eyes glancing curiously towards them. Everything seemed as it should be, but her cat instincts were on edge. Something was out of place.

"I don't like this, Van-sama," she muttered.

"Me, too," he replied, before stepping towards the group. Raising his hands, the king gave a brilliant smile, "My lords and ladies, if there are no objections we shall start the ceremony."

Unanimously, the group agreed with excited encouragement and energetic clapping. Together the rulers stepped forward and the curtains were pulled back. Instantly, there was a swell of voices from below on sight of the royals. The vivid colors, happy expressions, and cloudless blue sky blended into the background of a perfect day. Unfortunately, the joyous moment was lost on the Fanelian King as he took his spot at head of the rulers and center of the balcony.

A gloved hand rose to silence the massive sea of people. When the final voice had quieted, Van brought his hand back down and spoke loud enough that his voice carried to the very edge of the castle's defensive walls. The speech, which had been written by one of his advisors, was lengthy and stiff. He would have preferred to do a more impromptu speech, but his advisors were strict when it came to ceremonies and public appearances. They had to know what was going to happen so as to prepared themselves for any consequences. Rulers had been known to loose the faith of their people by faulty speeches so it was a mounting fear with his advisors when he had first began to appear as king in Fanelia. The years had taught him dictation and a small bit of charm, but most of the speeches were rehearsed down to the smallest detail. There was no exception with this one.

"…let us rejoice and thank the God of the Sky, Escaflowne, for this momentous and glorious occasion."

Cheering followed as the Fanelian king lifted a long sheet of parchment in the air. No one standing down in the courtyard could have been able to read the small penmanship, but there was no doubt that the king held the pending treaty. After being handed a quill, Van scrawled his name at the bottom and offered the document to the next figure, the Duke of Freid. Van stepped back and glanced towards the inner rooms at Merle standing with the rest of the royals. With low ears, she shook her head. Van continued to smile due to the spectators watching, but his stomach twisted. _'Something is very wrong.'_

Once, the final signature was blotted on the parchment, Van graciously took the completed document and raised it high over his head. Another round of cheering burst through the air and the balcony clapped behind him.

Van's joyous expression quickly slipped from his face when he heard a cry and clashing sound of metal erupt from below the balcony. The citizens' cheers grew silent and in seconds, they began to back up. Van was shocked to see several Zaibach soldiers pushing the crowd back. Immediately, his head shot up towards his general behind him. Balgus was ready to call on his men, but the king shook his head. It was too few men to be a surprise attack.

Whirling back around, he leaned forward on the rail of balcony, the rest of the rulers doing the same. Once there was a clear circle in the courtyard, a clump of figures rushed into the center. Van's heart stopped completely at the sight.

"Lord Van, isn't that your cousin?"

Captain Dilandau was pulling, nearly dragging, the seer into the courtyard with Millernia, Allen, and a pair of Dragonslayers at his heel. Hitomi's face was streaked with tears and she fought desperately to escape the captain's grip though she knew her fate was sealed either way. Reaching the center of the courtyard, Dilandau whirled to face the balcony and threw the woman at his feet. Hitomi winced when she hit the stone, but didn't try to rise from her knees. Millernia tried to go to the battered woman, but several gray soldiers held her and Allen back.

The sight of her mistreatment brought a burning fury to the king. His eyes narrowed on her tattered dress and he guessed her porcelain skin underneath the dirty cloth was covered in bruises. If a fatal jump hadn't separated them, Van would have already reached the red captain.

"My Lords," the captain exclaimed, "I'm sorry to interrupt on such an important moment, but my duty and responsibility would not allow me to wait."

"Speak quickly, Captain Dilandau," King Aston thundered, "It is a dangerous thing to handle a member of the royal family."

Van already knew what the display meant. His eyes locked with the seer's and his heart broke to see her silent apology. Dilandau's red eyes were bright with triumphant as the crowd behind him began to point and whisper.

"I have found a snake in our midst, my lords," the captain yelled, jerking the woman closer to him. Hitomi eyes closed in defeat as she felt the jerk of his hand on the back of her dress. After a sickening rip, she felt the cold wind on her back and began to sob into her hands.

The royal gasped when they saw a pair of beautiful black wings drawn upon her pale back. Dilandau's lips turn into the smallest of smirks as he looked at the Fanelian king and delivered the sentence that would unleash all of Hell on the perfect day.

"I have found a Mystic!"


	12. Chapter 12

**_A/N: I have recently updated my profile on Please go see._**

* * *

****

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

* * *

**Chapter 12**

* * *

The heavy double doors slammed shut on the angry cries outside, leaving a hollow silence in the throne room. The seer knelt in the center of the cold floor with Dilandau and three other slayers at guard standing around her. Her eyes were red and puffy from crying and they stared defeated at the white marble. More than anything in, she wished she could disappear into a beam of blue light and escape her trial. Another sob sought to escape her, but she bit down on her bottom lip. She wouldn't cry. She knew there was always a chance this could happen. She would face these consequences with dignity.

Over forty faces circled her with expressions of disbelief, anger, and disgust. There were only fifteen of those faces that would determine her fate, but she could already guess what their decision would be.

"Explain yourself, King Fanel," a voice demanded loudly. "Who is this woman?"

Hitomi could feel him exhale a deep breath of air, "Her name is Hitomi Kazanki. She's a Mystic from the valley to the east."

"You brought a Mystic to our meetings!" General Jorgus exclaimed as he whirled on the king.

"She is from a country not involved in this treaty!" the duke of Freid added, "She could be a spy!"

"I'm not a spy!" Hitomi's face snapped up as she shouted over the growing cries. Almost instantly, a powerful blow knocked her face to the side. Surreal silence followed the slap and the seer blinked dumbly at the floor.

"Shut up, witch!" Dilandau spat.

"Watch yourself, captain!" Van thundered, leaping from the platform and storming across the floor towards him. "Lady Kanzaki is my guest and I will not have you mistreating her."

Dilandau leveled a dark look on the king, silently daring him to lash out at him. Staring straight into the snake's eyes, the king wanted to throw aside the confines of politics and pound the smug soldier for laying a hand on her. He knew Dilandau struck her in payment for the past week of frustration that she had given him when he had tried to interrogate her. He probably had been thrilled to have the opportunity to expose her.

"Maybe it would be best, King Fanel, if you explained her presence here," Dornkirk commented. The red slayer's lips turned upwards.

Van slowly faced the jury of royals. His eyes scanned the faces and knew they had every right to be furious with him. If it had been another ruler standing where he was, he would have demanded answers. The king opened his mouth to speak, but the seer's gentle voice hastily spoke over him, "I'm a new advisor."

Heads swiveled towards her. Dornkirk's frown told her he wasn't pleased to hear the lie, but he was in a position to call her out on it. If he did, he would have to explain why he didn't reveal her before the signing. Wincing lightly at the pain throbbing in the left side of her face, Hitomi's green eyes lit up at his expression and she pressed on to say, "His majesty feared of secret treachery in this union. He requested aid and I heard his call."

Van looked over his shoulder with her and gave the tiniest shake of the head. Hitomi didn't glance towards him. "He feared my origin might cause unnecessary friction in the proceedings so I was presented as lower family."

"Friction?" King Aston rumbled softly, "I seriously doubt this treaty would have suffered with your presence, Kanzaki."

"Yes, lord," she nodded. "We didn't believe my presence would spark anything either, but shortly before your coming, a mishap happened in the market. I was wrongfully beaten for my origin. After that, I demanded to be concealed for my safety."

Van's eyes clenched shut. Hitomi instinctively knew lying to the crowd was going against Van, but she couldn't let Dornkirk know about the truth. Something in her screamed at her not let it out. Even though Van was nearly healed from the illness, she was almost crippled and she needed to hide that from the Zaibach emperor as long as possible. If he was from the Mystic Valley, she was the only one who had a chance at stopping his unknown magic. She lifted her chin and waited for the rulers' response.

Their hard eyes studied her, but they didn't lean over towards one another. Each ruler had to make their own decision for the good of the country. Speaking openly on the subject might dig them deeper into the deception.

Abruptly, Duke Freid stepped forward, "If what you say is a lie, than my advisor will discover it. I demand a special inquiry by my monk, Plactu."

Several heads nodded in agreement.

* * *

Hitomi sighed and leaned her head against the stone wall of her cell as she stared out through the bars. The temperature had dropped dramatically at sunset and because she was given only a small blanket for warmth besides the pair of torches hanging off the outside walls of the cell, she hadn't been able to sleep. Course, she wouldn't be able to sleep anyway. The moment her eyes would close another vision would have her jerking awake. Unable to concentrate her meditations while sitting on an ice cold bench, she had begun to pace her small ten-foot-long room.

"The moon is beautiful tonight," she mumbled, smiling sadly at the full orb. _'Will I be able to watch you tomorrow? Or will this Plactu destroy my chances?'_

Her shoulders began to shake as another tremor pass through her. The seer hunched over as she coughed. The cold weather wasn't helping her health. She normally would have passed through the last four nights with a simple cold, but her body was beginning to shut down. The spasms were becoming violent and her stomach was no longer able to hold down any food. After the first couple of messes she left on the floor, she had given up eating. She had already begun to loose weight before the imprisonment, but now it was very evident. Her robes were beginning to slide off and exposing sickly colored skin that had bones jutting out.

She wished she could call on Millernia for herbs, but visits were forbidden. The only face she saw was a random guard who brought her meals. She could only guess what was going on elsewhere in the castle or out in the village. She surely had stirred up the citizens.

Finally, her coughing subsided and the seer leaned weakly against her wall again and slid weakly to the cold floor. She feared tomorrow. Plactu supposedly was due to arrive in the morning and her interrogation would begin as soon as possible. There was a chance he could be delayed, but without any communication outside her cell all she had was the Duke's comment from the throne room stating the monk would arrive in four days. She had never heard of the monk, but he had no have some special ability to be called upon so specifically. She just hoped she could pass the man's test without taking Van down with her.

More so, tomorrow would reveal her sickness. Without the herbs for the last days, she wouldn't be able to last long in interrogation, and even if she did by some miracle, there was no way she could hide from Van's eyes. He would definitely notice her thinness and with her past occurrences he would put two and two together.

The door creaked opened, but the seer didn't look up, figuring it was another meal being delivered. The light steps that conflicted with a man heavy set got the seer to slowly turn, "Merle?"

With a guard standing against the wall behind her, the cat-girl leaned against the bars with eyes as wide as saucers, "Hitomi, you look horrible!"

The seer chuckled hoarsely, "Thanks, Merle. Normally, I would smack you for such a comment, but I'm too happy to see you to do it."

"Have they been feeding you!" Merle hissed, her claws scrapping the bars noisily. She snapped her fiery eyes to the Austurian soldier behind her. "I'm gunna make some soldiers blind!"

Too exhausted to rise, the seer carefully crawled across the floor as the cat-girl knelt. "Don't worry about it. They've been given me three meals a day."

"It doesn't look like it!" Merle exclaimed with her tail expanding in anger. "You're practically a skeleton!"

Hitomi hurried to change subjects, "You didn't answer me. How did you get in here? I thought no one was allowed to see me."

Merle eyed her suspiciously, but after a short hesitation answered softly, "Van-sama wanted to make sure you were being treated well. He kept requesting to visit you, but they refused fearing he might find a way to fowl up the interrogation by visiting you."

Hitomi rolled her eyes, "I don't see how. If this Plactu guy is so good at his job, then he'll figure everything out regardless of Van speaking with me."

The cat shrugged, "That's what he said, but they still wouldn't let him see you. So I asked if I could see you. It took two days before I was able to wear them down. They couldn't deny me when I told them they could have a soldier present."

"Tell me about this Plactu?" Hitomi requested gently. "Who is he exactly? Why is he so important?"

Cat ears twitched, "I don't know much about him. I heard he can cast spells like a hypnotic trance. He puts the people he questions under spells."

Hitomi nodded thoughtfully, _'I heard of monks being able to perform spells and enchantments. Must be a type of truth revealer spell he uses in his interrogations. If that's true, than I won't make it through the questioning.'_

Merle's ears drooped, "You need a healer."

There was no point left in hiding the truth. Tomorrow he would know. Hitomi shook her head weakly, "There is nothing Millernia or another healer could do."

"Hitomi?"

"Besides, tomorrow everything will unravel and they have to decide what to do with me," she commented dryly. "They might execute me for all I know."

"Van-sama, would never allow that!" Merle cried.

Eyes closed, the seer whispered, "There will be nothing he can do. Sustaining this treaty, especially with the likelihood of Zaibach attacking, is more important. I refuse to let him sacrifice the treaty for me."

"Hitomi, you can't be serious…" Merle choked, tears filling her eyes. "You're life is more important to us than some dumb treaty."

Hitomi weakly pressed her back to the bars, hiding her face from the young cat's view. She exhaled deeply and clutched her small blanket, "Merle, even if I survive this inquiry, I would never forgive myself."

When she didn't hear a response, she continued, "When I left the valley months ago, I was considered an exile. I have no home, no family, and no people. What I have been living for day by day is this kingdom. My life would be broken if Fanelia fell after all I've sacrificed."

A small hand unexpectedly wrapped around her and gripped her thin hand tightly. Hitomi feebly twisted her face towards the girl and felt a swell of sadness surge up into her chest when she witnessed the sparkle of tears in her small eyes.

"Please, don't say that," Merle's chin trembled with barely controlled emotions. "You're scaring me."

Hitomi was shock to feel her own tears slip down her face. For the first time, since she had arrived in Fanelia she was crying for someone who wasn't far away in the valley. With a heavy heart, the seer steadily turn towards the girl and slipped her arms through the bars to wrap her into a frail hug. Tucking the girl as close to her as physically possible, the seer drank in the girl's deep devotion.

"I'm sorry, Merle," she mumbled softly as she tightened her hold, "So very sorry."

* * *

She heard the tell-tale creak when the sun was barely peeking through her small window. She was lying on the cold floor, but she was asleep. She had been too sick and wound up to try. The key clicked loudly in the silent room, and the woman ideally wondered if a key always sounded loud in a prison.

"It's time," a gruff voice stated.

"I know." Hitomi slowly lifted from the floor, vividly aware that her hands were shaking again. Reaching her full height, she took a deep breath to steady her weakened limbs. Reluctantly, she exited her cell and entered the hallway where several guards from different countries waited. A soldier of Freid stepped forward and wrapped a tight cord of rope around her wrists. Her eyes were distant as she waited for the knot to be pulled. _'I'm ready, Lord.'_

The walk to the throne was lost on her as she was guided up from the dungeons to the awaiting crowd in the throne room. All she could think about was what would happen once the doors opened. She knew everything would be over once she was set before the monk. She would have to plead with the jury of rulers to take all the blame. Otherwise, they would eat Van as if he was dinner and rip Fanelia from the treaty.

Her face jerked up in realization, _'That's exactly what Dornkirk planned! He's going to rip everything apart with me as the catalyst!'_

The world disappeared from her feet as she suddenly found her and the guards standing outside the doors. She tried to swallow and push down the painful lump, but her mouth was dry as a desert. As a result of mounting fear, she began to tremble as the doors were pulled open. _'Dear God in Heaven, save him.'_

* * *

_**A/N: Short chapter, but the next one is going to be massive in action, and hopefully, I can get it out by the middle of next week. I think me trying for the end of the weekend is a bit much.  
**_


	13. Chapter 13

_**A/N: Wow… I'm so surprised at how fast this chapter got out. All yesterday I just sat at my computer and drilled the words onto the screen. This is one of those chapters I couldn't wait to get out, but I wasn't sure how quickly it would write itself.**_

* * *

.. 

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

* * *

**Chapter 13**

* * *

As she stepped inside dressed in her preferred robes from the valley, Hitomi turned her face to the line of spectators. From all of the meetings, the dinners, and social gatherings, she had come to know every face inside the large room. With each small step she took, she recalled the sound of laughter and the pitch of their voices. The memories were only faint echoes. There was nothing left to connect her with the jury. She knew they no longer remembered her as the young woman who was polite and wise. To their eyes, she was a totally different person, washed of the clean slate she had gained from lies and secrecy. The only thing they could see was the cursed lines on her arms and the rope that tied her wrists. The persona she was left with was a Mystic. 

Numbly, she scanned the expressions for some hint of decision. There was a massive amount of cold distance pouring out of their eyes, but from a handful, especially from the Zaibach emperor and his captain, she discovered a wicked determination. They wanted her to fail. Whether it was because of her fearful heritage or her recent lying, it didn't matter. They were set on bringing her down.

Her green eyes slipped to the end of the crowd, finding the small glimmer of comfort she needed. Millernia, Allen, Merle, and Van watched her expectantly, wanting to convey all their concerns and encouragement to her through the gentle gaze they offered. She could tell by their tense muscles that they wanted to come to her and stand by her in this trial. She could almost hear their screams of devotion.

Unconsciously, she allowed her eyes to linger on the king. He looked so hansom. She hadn't allowed herself before to silently vocalize the thought, but with her impending trial, she gave up trying to hold it back. She loved his hair, how it fell constantly in his eyes and made his wine-colors irises appear bright against the dark color. She smiled softly as a hollow ache took over her thoughts. _'I might never get to see him again.'_

The king's hands tightened. He had been fearful of her arrival since Merle had told him her health had deteriorated. Guilt and anger clawed at his heart as he studied her thinning limbs and dim eyes. They had only been separated four days, but with the added three days they had been avoided one another, she had successful escaped his gaze for a full week. How could he not have seen it in the throne room days ago? Four days in a cell couldn't have dragged her health downwards so dramatically. Van and Millernia glanced towards one another and sent similar messages of fear.

Awaiting the seer's arrival in the center of the throne room laid a deep red and gold carpet with flowing designs of suns and gods from Freid's religion. On top of the carpet a pair of simple orange pillows waited, a seat for her and the interrogator, with a heavy bowl made of bronze that was filled with burning incense. The only thing missing from the arrangement was the monk.

Hitomi carefully lowered her knees to the mat, balancing awkwardly with her tied wrists. Once she was comfortable, she sensed the soldiers back away to give ample room for the monk to work his magic. Her nose wrinkled when she inhaled a cloud of incense. She could name several of the herbs burning from her memory of the sleep and relaxation medicine Millernia had given her, but there was distinct overpowering scent she couldn't name. The seer tensed when she heard the heavy footfalls. Lifting her chin and straightening her shoulders, she inhaled deeply and focused all her energy into holding off the symptoms of her illness. Unfortunately, her hands were already shaking when the man stepped into view.

The bald giant standing before her was dressed in yellow and orange wraps with numerous beaded necklaces hanging from his neck and wrists. His face was placid like the clear surface of a still lake. A familiar red dot was painted in between his thin eyebrows and when she lowered her gaze, she met steel indigo eyes.

"Let's begin," his voice grated. She nearly frowned when he moved towards his mat. As he walked, the air shifted and she could feel a wave of energy brush against her. Warily, she reached out with her senses and nearly recoiled in shock at the network of fiber she touched. The air that hung around the monk was constantly shifting, pulling at the light and color that surrounded him. If she concentrated hard enough she could almost see the fibers knitting together and created new shapes and colors over him.

She blinked rapidly and refocused. She had never witnessed anything similar to it. He was drawing on the magic within his body to mold the light into a curtain image. If she wasn't a seer, she would never have noticed the illusion. Her heart sunk in dread as he knelt across from her. There was no way to tell if the man was indeed the one called Plactu, but one thing was certain, he was concealing his true form to the room.

His hand, wrapped with beads raised, in front of her face, and before she could vocalize her suspensions he wrote a triangular pattern in the air. There was never a chance to keep her from dropping into the spell-induced trance.

Almost immediately, the seer's eyes became a hazy gray and lost sight of her surroundings. Van barely noticed he was holding his breath as the monk completed the air pattern and pulled his hand back to his lap. Keeping his back straight and his eyes straight on the seer, Plactu questioned loudly, "What is your name?"

The woman entire body was still like rock, her lips barely moving as she answered, "Hitomi Kanzaki."

Van frowned when he heard the lack of life in the seer's voice.

"Where are you from?"

"From Atlantis, the capitol of the Mystic Valley."

Plactu hesitantly studied the seer, slight curiosity evident in his gaze. The monk firmly wove his hands together with his crossed forefingers pointed to the ceiling. "Why did you hide your identity?"

"So no one would be afraid."

His eyebrow rose, "Afraid of what?"

"Me."

The innocent word sparked a flurry of mutterings through the crowd before the people heard the monk speak again, "Why?"

"People do rash things when they know what I am."

"What do they do?"

"They usually beat me." Van cringed, thinking back to the day he found her bloody in the market.

"When did arrive in Fanelia?"

"Over two months ago."

"Why are you here at the castle?" The air seemed to disappear from the room as everyone waited expectantly.

"My services were requested."

Plactu frowned at the elusive answer along with the crowd. The monk quickly brought his hand into the smoke of incense and wrote several patterns. His beads clicked loudly in the room, echoing off the high banisters. The smoke curled and dance with the current of air he swept over the bowl, and for a heartbeat, it appeared as if the smoke was forming intentional shapes. Once he finished five or six patterns, his hand hung evenly in the curling smoke with two fingers jutting out towards the woman. "What services exactly were requested?"

"The king suffered from nightmares. He asked anyone who could help."

Van's eyes slid close and sighed through his nose as the round of gasps filled the tense air. Plactu didn't slow down as the noise grew, "So the king is ill?"

"No, not anymore."

The reply quickly softened the voices.

"You healed him?"

"Yes."

Plactu scowled, "How?"

"Nightmares are the result of a troubled heart. At first, I tried to teach him how to confront his pain, but while he was under my counsel, I stole his dreams for a time being so he could sleep. When my methods proved to be failing and the meeting grew closer, it was feared the treaty would be jeopardized if the delegates knew one of the rulers signing was ill."

"People get colds and fevers, but that doesn't make them incapable of ruling," he assessed in the stead of the rulers, who were confused. "Why would his illness be relevant to the treaty?"

"Because his illness caused him to hallucinate," she answered effortlessly.

King Aston anxiously leaned forward, "Is that true, Lord Fanel?"

"Yes." With a worn exhale, Van respectfully faced the rulers. Even though their eyes were hard, the young ruler had hope that they would hear his explanation, "Please, understand—"

"But he wasn't healed by the time of the meeting," Plactu voice overtook his, catching the spotlight once more. "So what did you do?"

The question sent a deep shiver down the young king of Fanelia's spine. He had never considered why he had become healed. He had foolish accepted that he been strong enough to fight it off and win back his life. Yet, an inner voice began to whisper a grueling revelation: _Hitomi had done something more._ His eyes widened and fearfully darted to the seer.

"I performed a Forbidden Spell." Her emotionless voice cut through him and he swayed on his feet. Heavy guilt crashed down on his shoulders as he stared sorrowfully at the frozen woman. "Using a Blood Stone as an amplifier, it creates a spiritual connection between two people to allow energy to be passed to the victim of the illness. In theory, the added energy is supposed to help the victim overcome the illness."

"Oh my God…" Van pushed out the ragged breath, brokenly. "S-She…she…"

Merle latched unto the young king's arm when she saw the expression of fear on her brother's face. There were times when she had seen him afraid, but never so white and desperate as he was presently. "What is it, Van-sama?"

Plactu's dark eyes narrowed on the seer, "You have a Blood Stone?"

"Yes." Suddenly her hand twitched in her lap and the spectators were aghast as the seer's small hand lifted to her neck. Hitomi's fingers tenderly lifted the small red stone from beneath her clothes.

"Her pendant?" Allen mumbled behind the princess.

The monk's face brightened at the sight of the tiny object. Hungrily, he uncurled his palm, "Let me see it."

Her hands unhurriedly swept up the chain and lifted it off her head. Without any resistance, she held out her most prized possession to the monk. Plactu's wide eyes were odd to see on such a normally blank face. The monk reminded the Fanelian King of a starved dog. Eagerly, a hand wrapped in violet beads stretched forward, but as his fingers brushed the smooth surface of the pendant, his entire body shuddered and froze. Life on the mat became nonexistent.

Three seconds… Four seconds… Five… and still neither the monk nor the seer moved. They were perfect statues, staring firmly into each other's glazed over eyes.

The crowd twitched nervously as they held the breaths. Merle's grip went slack on his arm as she voiced the ridiculously apparent question, "What happened?"

* * *

.. 

On another plane of reality, the monk's fingers brushed the stone and a light as bright as all of the stars in the heavens combined flashed between their hands. The momentary burst of light threw the monk off guard and he flinched backwards with a small cry. When he staggered to a stand still, he blinked and met a vast darkness.

"W-What?" he stuttered, whipping his head back and forth in astonishment, "How?"

Glancing down at himself, the monk noticed his clothes weren't covered in shadows like they should be. They were actually bright and stark against blackness as if they glowed with their own internal light. His head jerked up and saw the seer sitting innocently with hands on her knees yards away, her calm trance-like expression still in place.

"What did you do?" he growled, setting his glare pointedly at the strange woman. The seer didn't respond automatically, but her hand did gradually life to point at the monk.

"You are a doppelganger," she accused dryly, eyes still glazed over and distant. "You have many faces, but none of them are your own."

Immediately following her vacant words, he was aware his appearance had transformed as easily as sand passing through open fingers. The doppelganger gasped as he found his purplish-pink skin and scanned his hands for the disappeared heavy beads. "Ho-ow did you do this!"

She blinked. Once, twice, and then the emerald green washed back into her eyes. Her brow dipped forward as her gaze focused on the other occupant of the black cell. He was a creature she had never encountered. His skin was a pasty color, resembling discolored gums, with brown metallic strips winding around his forearms and face. His dark, ratty hair was braided into lengthy clumps with wooden beads as tassels. Creepy, slim hands with abnormally long nails rose as the skinny, naked being stalked forward.

"So you know what I am, now." He hissed. He pulled back purple lips and reveal sharp canines. "Doesn't matter. You'll be dead before you could ever say a word."

His voice was odd to the ears. It bounced and echoed when he spoke, but not because of the room they stood in. His pitched raced over the scale, dipping low and then shooting up high in single syllable. It was almost if his voice embodied the entire scale, probably a helpful trait connected to his ever changing disguises.

The seer recoiled unhurriedly as he approached. "I knew you were masking your identity. I saw how you bent the rays of light to your advantage. I just never guessed you were a doppelganger who murdered the real Plactu."

His eyes checked the space between them. Carefully gauging how far a leap would take him. "Yes. I did kill him. How do you know that?"

Hitomi matched each forward move with her own backward step, "I'm a seer. I have the gift of sight. My eyes can see beyond illusions and witness past and future as if it were present."

Her fingers clenched. "As a doppelganger, you intercepted the real Plactu and sucked the soul out him so you could steal his body."

Hearing her statement, the invisible ground at their feet rippled and a horrendous image of the doppelganger attacking the monk appeared. He screeched at the revealing vision and howled a furious cry. The vision swam and blurred with each rolling wave of dark ocean beneath them, but it was perfectly clear when the doppelganger dropped the lifelessly corpse of the monk and stood with his face. The muscles in the creature's face tightened with rage and his algae green eyes snapped back to the retreating woman. Hitomi didn't flinch.

"Did Dornkirk send you?" She accused softly.

"Yes." It growled, frustrated. "He's tired of your determination to keep silent. He sent me to question you."

"The real Plactu would have sufficed." She croaked, her throat tightening from her weakened state. Her sights stayed fixed on the assassin. She wasn't sure how her luck had gotten her into the warp reality, but she couldn't deny the possible rules woven into the dark universe. It was very likely simple rules, like death, were still concrete in this realm. If so, an attack on her could have fatal consequences, regardless that they were in a dream or a vision or whatever. "You didn't have to kill him. He would have interrogated me and you would have gotten your answers."

"Not the ones he wanted to hear." He snapped.

"You haven't asked anything he wouldn't have asked." She bit her lip when she sensed the trembling in her hands. _'Crap, I'm about to have an episode and I'm facing a snarling monster.'_

"Oh, but I never finished my interrogation." He half-laughed. "You rudely interrupted us."

"I didn't do this!" she coughed, lightly. Her hand covered her mouth as she sputtered. Using her momentary lapse of concentration, he anxiously trotted closer. Hitomi frantically stumbled out of reach.

"I don't even know how it happened. Maybe our powers collided and my pendant resonated." She prayed it distracted him long enough to allow her to gain her wits.

His eyes dropped to the stone. "That's a Blood Stone from the Mystic Valley. Those are very powerful."

"Or very weak." She corrected firmly, anxiously rushing through the explanation. "Only the user determines the strength of a Blood Stone. They only amplify and tune a wearer's abilities. In reality, I'm just as powerful with or without this pendant. But without me, the stone is worth as much as a few copper coins."

The doppelganger drooled, totally fixated on the woman's precious pendant. "Somehow, I don't believe you."

* * *

.. 

Merle waved a small hand in front of the monk's eyes. He didn't blink or fidget. Finding no reaction, she flipped around and did the same to the seer. There was no same lack of response. Looking across the statue pair at the king and princess, the she-cat shrugged. "What do you think is happening?"

"I don't know." Millernia leaned over, studying the seer's dilated eyes. "I'm a doctor. I don't know anything about…magic."

The beading sweat on the comatose woman's brow, however, sparked the doctor's awareness. Scowling, she pressed a gloved finger to the girl forehead. The princess tested the fingertip against her thumb and discovered wet residue.

Van's heart thumped when he saw the woman's pensive stare. "What is it, Milly?"

"She's sweating." Millernia commented, giving the seer another once over. "What ever is happening, she straining. It's only been a few minutes so—"

"LOOK!"

The cat's exclamation and pointed finger caused the small group surrounding the red and gold carpet to drop their stomachs. The red drip was weak, but it was rapidly gaining speed and beginning to slip passed the seer's mouth to her chin. Millernia mumbled a crude word, not normally associated with princesses, and began to wipe the blood off the seer's face with her clean white glove.

* * *

.. 

"So what are your questions?" She croaked.

The man fidgeted, eyes flicking between her face and the necklace still in her hand. Torn between his duty and his desire for the stone, the doppelganger hesitated to step closer.

"Were you born under the small moon?" His vocal cords scratched against the air as if it were nails.

Her face scrunched. "What?"

"The small moon!" He snapped his canines at her. "Was the large moon eclipsed when you were born?"

"Not exactly." Hitomi replied slowly, curiously. "I was born the night of the two moons, but it was when the large moon is dark for half the night and then suddenly appears full in the sky at midnight. The Night of the Half Moon."

His wicked smile turned the seer's stomach. _'I think that's the answer he wanted to hear.'_

Hitomi slammed to the ground, barely dodging the body thrown in her direction. Straining against her weak arms, the seer frantically got to her knees. She barely got a chance to put the bottom of her foot down, when she was wracked with a violent round of coughing. Her hand slapped loudly against the ground as each wheezing breath racked her ribcage. Acidic bile hit her throat and soon metallic tasting syrup coated her tongue. When she spat out the disgusting flavor, her heart wilted at the sight of red spray across the dark contrast of the floor. _'Crap...'_

Fast steps coming from behind her caused the seer to react instinctively and she rolled to the side. Whipping up on her knees, she watched the doppelganger drop onto the spot she had once been and growl. The seer knew she had to get out of the prison before things got out of her control. The seer was interrupted, however, when a cold sensation raced up her spine. Involuntarily, her voice jumped out of her mouth. "Soon, you're life will be snuff out."

He blinked and angrily scowled. "What?"

"You're going to die." She stumbled over her words as she noticed the ground shifting oddly at the creature's feet. "Very soon."

Suddenly, the black floor grew a multitude of arms and wrapped around the doppelganger's legs and lower torso. He howled in distress as he tried to shake off the steel jelly. "No! I won't die!"

"I'm not sure how." Hitomi was so awestruck, by the sight that she didn't notice the wet sensation dripping from her nose. The more he fought the tighter the cuffs wrapped around him, leisurely crawling up towards his neck. "It will be very soon."

His head whipped around, beads flying out in a horizontal arch. Fangs bared, the creature locked a hot glare on her. A claw hand lurched forward. "I'll take you with me!"

Hitomi tried to jump back out of reach, but his hand stretched across the short inches and latched unshakable on her wrist. The seer trembled as the ground hurried to swallow her feet. "No!"

The doppelganger smirked as the floor slipped over his face and stole him from her eyes. With lightning speed, the ground rushed up the arm that held her wrist and enveloped her forearm with a nauseating sucking sound like mud. Tears slipped over her cheeks as she began to thrash wildly. "No!"

Breathing slipped back into a painful wheeze and blood sputtered from her lips as she shrieked. With her lower body already deep in the thick pool, the blackness began to press against her body, pushing the air out of her lungs. White spots began to dance before her eyes and she grimaced as the floor pushed harder on her frail body. Her bones felt like they would break at any second. Cold fingers slipped up her neck and wrapped in a vice over her esophagus. Head rearing back, she tried to scream a final time, but the floor slipped over her face and spilled into her mouth. She suffocated.

* * *

.. 

No one was prepared for the scream that ripped out of the seer as both she and the monk flew apart. A funnel of air shot down between the duo, snuffing out the burning incense, and reeling everyone surrounding them. Startle cries filled the room as the rulers fought to stay on their feet. Millernia and Van frantically dropped next to the unconscious seer. "Hitomi!"

Blood leaked from her nostrils and purple lips, pooling rapidly onto the floor. Her glazed eyes stared blind along the marble as her petite body laid lifeless. Across from her, the monk panted heavily with fear shaking through every limb.

"She's a monster!" he howled, scrambling backwards as far as the confining legs of the crowd would physically allow.

Millernia was hastily checking her vitals, but it was evident from the blonde woman's hysterically state that the seer's health was dangerously unstable. "A pulse, a pulse. Give me a pulse, Hitomi!"

The princess pressed an ear to the unconscious woman's chest and listened intently for the desperately needed thrum. When there was only empty silence, the princess sucked in a sharp breath of air and began yanking recklessly at the seer's robes.

"Milly, what is it?" Van breathed in alarm.

"Her heart stopped!"

* * *

_**A/N: I had expected more to be out in this chapter, but then decided the next portion of the story definitely needed to be separated to fulfill the dramatic impact I wanted. Anyway, this was a really fast update, but the next chapter definitely won't be as fast. I have to go update a chapter on my Samurai Champloo fic, Through Smudged Glass, before I can begin the next chapter for Bad Dreams. I greatly encourage anyone who's seen the tv show to go read this other fic. I'm getting lots of excited reviews for the story.**_


	14. Chapter 14

**_A/N: Wedding was great. To see the interesting story on it, go to my livejournal (link found on profile). _  
**

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**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

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**Chapter 14**

* * *

The world was collapsing around his ears as he stared helplessly at the seer's blue tinged face. There was a primal urge to yell in her face and demand her to wake up. He could feel a cry forming tight in his chest and he went to let it loose on the unconscious woman, but it failed to be more than a whimper.

The seer's chest bindings were suddenly exposed to the many eyes of the room, but the princess ignored the indecency as she crossed her palms between the woman's breasts. With a small grunt Millernia began to rhythmically pound her weight into the frail seer. The only sound was the distinct grunts of the princess as she worked. With each pump the seer's body would flinched as if she wanted to return to them, but was caught in another place and was being dragged out of reach.

Each second that slipped by without Hitomi's warm breath puffing out sent his heart deeper into the ground. The cold air wrapped around his chest as he watched her lifeless doll eyes. He began to silently beg her to wake up, staring so intently into the gray irises that he believed his voice was reaching her on some spiritual plane.

Merle was gripping the seer's hand as if the appendage was a blanket. She wept softly, trying her best to keep quiet so the princess could concentrate. She restlessly pressed the seer's clenched hand to her face. She glanced at her brother, but he was focused completely on Hitomi.

With growing dread, Millernia knew the window of opportunity was racing out of reach. If she didn't get her heart to start up again in the next few minutes than Hitomi would never wake. _'No! Hitomi, come on!'_

All of her energy fueled into the rocking motion and she was forced to pull back on her overeager pace. Her blue eyes focused solely on the girl's limp face, watching anxiously for something, any sign of return.

* * *

..

_So tired…_

_She feebly attempted to open her eyes, but they were stitched firmly close. The hot air pressed down on her chest, pushing the breath from her lungs. Still lost between ceiling and floor, her fingers stretched blindly out. _

_So tired…_

_Her fingers felt rushing air, but she didn't feel like she was falling. No, she was drifting. It was as if she was a feather being caught in the wind. There was just no way to tell which way she was floating._

_In sleep there is rest…_

_She no longer fought to understand. She let her head fall back and she heard the gentle whistle of air. The warm air enveloped her mind. She was ready to let go. _

* * *

..

Millernia's arms began to shake, exhaustion beginning to set in. She gave a final pump and panted over the seer's silent form. Her blue eyes brimmed with tears. "It's no use. Her heart won't start."

_Won't start…_

His own heart seemed to stop at the defeated tone. Van immediately dove forward, pushing the princess aside, and mirroring the woman's hands over Hitomi's chest.

"Is this right?" he asked in uneven cry.

Shocked by his quick rescue, Millernia blinked and hastily replied, "Yes. Pump with the rhythm of your heartbeat."

My_ heart beat…_

Taking a deep breath, the king pushed down causing the seer's body to flinch. He repeated the motion and Millernia coached him on. "Harder, Van. Harder."

* * *

..

_Then a sharp, white star broke through the curtain and stabbed into her eyes. She tried to curl away, to sink further into the drifting sleep she so desperately wanted. Yet, the star grew brighter, its white light stretching across the expansion. _

_Suddenly, her body jerked downwards, plummeting at an alarming rate to what she could only surmise was the bottom of a deep pit. She was so startle her arms jerked upwards, a scream tearing out of her throat. _

* * *

..

"Come on!" the king began to rant, half delirious with fear. "Breath, Hitomi!"

Another pump, another second lost.

"Hitomi!" Merle sobbed.

* * *

..

_Whiteness covered her view as a hand slipped into hers, one that fit utterly perfect into her grip. There was a rushing feeling swooping through her and she passed through a whirl of colors and smells as her heart simultaneously burst through her chest. _

* * *

..

"Snap out of it, Hitomi!"

She jerked, sucking in a loud wheezing breath and turning over to cough. The cold sensation of marble beneath her was the first sensation she recognized, followed by the wet feel under her palm.

"She's going to be alright." The faint exclamation tugged on her memories. She knew that voice. As she coughed, she felt a bitter taste fling from her tongue and land on her exposed knuckles. The gray world slid away like rain and colors rammed painfully into her brain. She winced and squeezed her eyes against the onslaught. Too much information was rushing into her weak form.

"It's a miracle."

When the coughing lessened, the seer sighed wearily, wanting to sink into the earth and sleep. She felt so exhausted. She was grateful to whoever pulled her up off the cold floor and set her in a warm lap.

"Hitomi?"

Distorted green eyes opened to blurry faces. Hitomi squinted and slowly the lines ran solid, distinguishing the teary, anxious expressions of the throne room. She laid there, picking up the pieces of her memory. When she rearranged the scattered remnants and finished the puzzle, dark resolve settled in her blood and she shakily pushed to her elbows.

"Rest a bit, Hitomi." Millernia scolded gently. "You nearly died."

Hitomi didn't hear her. Her brown eyes were planted on the monk sitting several feet away. His frightened stare watched her warily as she pushed aside her friends' insistent hands and knelt. Several heads darted towards the monk. Raising her trembling hand, she wrote a jerky pattern in the dividing wall of smoke. The monk flinched and attempted to get up, but she had already closed the spell with the needed star symbol. There was distinct snapping noise and then the sunlight sputtered and shook.

Hitomi could see the monk frantically try to adjust to the abnormality in the light. His invisible hands raced across the air, reweaving broken fibers and forming new ones. The seer hurried to repeat the air pattern, concentrating on the light that encompassed his illusion. Unbeknownst to her, the nosebleed that had slowed began to quicken again, a result of straining her weakened magic.

"Hitomi!"

"Dispel!" She commanded with a furious hiss, her fingers repeating a third time. She completed the third round twice as fast and Doppelganger's hold on the fibers of light broke in random patches. The room gasped in shock as the left side of the monk's face paled to sick purple and deep brown lines. Fingernails lengthened and hair grew before their shocked eyes and soon there was little that remained of the illusion.

"Oh my Goddess!"

"It's a doppelganger!"

"Guards!"

With a frantic lurch, the doppelganger launched over the spectators. Hitomi's stare matched the doppelganger in midair as he flew. With a growl, he miraculously landed across the room and raced for the nearest window. The guards scrambled to catch him, but he threw himself against the glass and broke out into freedom. A thousand bells of glass hit the air. Hitomi was relieved to see him exposed, but she had wished she could have questioned him.

"Hitomi, are you alright?"

She mumbled something incoherent and wavered. Hands stretched out and steadied her. Once their warmth leaked into her cold body, her head lulled to side and she crumbled in their hold.

* * *

..

"The guard said she stopped eating after the first day. He found her meals thrown up on the cell floor and the next day she wouldn't eat." Merle swept her hands over her arms as she stared out the bedroom's balcony doors.

"It's not surprising from how thin she is." Millernia uneasily wiped away the blood covering the lifeless woman. "I'm just surprised by how rapidly she lost weight. She at least lost ten pounds, maybe more. That's extremely dangerous in only a short week."

When the blood soaked up to the last available thread, the princess tossed the stained rag into a nearby bucket and ripped another chunk from the sheet in her lap. "Her weight doesn't explain the blood she's been coughing up."

She glanced up from her work at the king, sister, and knight standing scattered nearby. "Did anyone see if she was coughing up blood before the interrogation?"

A negative shake of the head.

"What are you thinking, Milly?"

The princess breathed deeply through her nostrils, "Can't say—"

Her words stopped when a red spot under the woman's chin caught her attention. Pulling the rag back, the princess carefully turned the seer's face closer to the lantern. It was about the size of a small coin. The sore was an irritating red with the faint trace of fingernail scratches. Dreadful feelings began to sink into her stomach and the princess gently lifted the girl's sleeve, eyes frantic. She found three around her shoulder. Next, she hawked up the bottom hem, revealing a dotty pale thigh. Her hand tenderly pressed against the blotted skin, finding several abnormal…_lumps._

"Milly?"

Replacing the robe's position, the princess studied the woman's ashy face. "I don't want to say what I think. I'm afraid to consider the possibility because if I'm right, she doesn't have long."

She didn't look up at them, but she could sense their immediate flinch. They had hoped, they had prayed, and they had begged they wouldn't hear the one sentence all humans feared.

"Please tell us, Milly." The king choked.

"It's hard to diagnosis," she began quietly, never diverting her gaze from the seer. "My medical career is still very young and inexperienced so I've never come across the disease, but from what I've read she's showing several signs. Mind you the symptoms can easily be dismissed as signs for another random disease. I don't know her people or family's health history. It could be a hereditary illness."

A heavy shift. "But…?"

Her eyes squeezed shut as her jaw tightened. "It's called cancer. It's terminal, it's painful, and it's never been cured."

She sadly turned to the king, apprehensive of his reaction. The ruler was expectantly silent, but inside his mind, a million words raced through.

_Fault…Need to…_

_Pain…No…Can't…_

_Tell…End…_

He swallowed, forcing the wave back. He could only see her face, her blood crusted, worn face. He didn't want to think of five minutes beyond that second. He wanted to stand and watch her in the blissful ignorance of her impending end. There was no kingdom, no rulers, or no citizens. There wasn't even a set of sun and moon. The entirety of his being was resting on the edge of her, hanging on every strained breath she inhaled.

"Is there anything you can do, Millernia?" he stated louder than anyone thought possible after hearing such a dark stroke of news.

"I can give her something for the pain, but that's going to be hard enough for her to keep down."

It was becoming hard to breath. He wasn't even sure if he was breathing. Shakily he looked up at the princess and discovered her scowling curiously at him. Offering a small smile, the king whispered, "I would like to be alone with her."

Millernia's lips slid into a tight line and she nodded. Signaling the others with a firm glance, she led the way out of the room. Being the last to exit, Merle had the responsibility of closing the door behind her and stealing the opportunity she tried to catch her brother's gaze. Sadly, his eyes had returned to the unconscious woman. With a weak heart, she pulled the door closed.

Van let out a long breath when he heard the door click. Somehow, he had foolishly believed she would open her eyes once they were alone. Forcing his mind to will his foot forward, the king stepped out of the position he had retained for the last twenty minutes. Reaching the side of her bed, he waited.

He scowled lightly. What was he waiting for? She wasn't going to snap up in the sheets, healthy and awake. She was dying.

His hand hastily stretched out and gripped her limps fingers. Tears began to push against his eyelids and he sucked in several deep breaths to fight them back. When there was no reaction from her, he could only hold back his voice as he cried. The warm saltwater slid powerfully down his tan cheeks. They steadily became waterfalls, no longer taking shape as single tears as they escaped.

He clung to her hand as he stared down at her face. Through the blur of tears, he followed the line of her eyebrows, her cheekbones, her nose, and all the way down to the slight opening of her chapped lips. Involuntarily, his other hand rose and pushed aside a lock of stiff blood matted hair from her temple.

"You can't leave…"

It was stupid to believe she could hear him, and he had no hope she would remember the smallest part of his conversation. But as the shaky words broke out into the air, the tightness in his chest loosened.

"You just can't," he whispered, slowly dropping to his knees at her bedside. "I don't know what will happen if you die. All I know is that if you're gone…everything will…"

His fingers tightened marginally as tears splattered his knuckles. "I haven't cried since I buried my parents."

His lungs shook. "I was twelve. The ceremony took days to prepare, but once the final shovel of dirt covered their coffins, I cried and cried and cried. I had told myself I could cry for them that day, that a funeral gave me the right, but after that, I never allowed myself to cry."

"I swore to them before that morning sunrise, that I would be strong for them. I would rebuild our home for them. I thought I could cry away the pain in one day."

He laughed darkly, "I guess if you consider the fact that I never cried since that day than I was right."

"You told me my heart was disturbed. That's why I had nightmares. I suppose that was the way I got to cry ten years, by reliving the memories I had forced myself to bury."

His hand slid down to cup her cheek and his thumb rubbed the edge of her nose. "I never thought someone could enter my life and make me feel…_anything_."

"And if you leave me now, after everything…" His tears slowed and he shook his head. "Why did you do that spell? Why didn't you tell me it was dangerous?"

His heart pressed against his ribs and his limbs began to sink like weights in a lake. "You knew I would never let you. That's why you did it, but did you know there was chance you would get my sickness? Did you know you would switch places with me?"

He smiled. "I bet you did."

His finger lightly grazed her closed eyelids, barely feeling her eyeballs shifting in her sleep. Without any knowledge, he leaned forward. He was aware of the movement under her eyelids, the way her breath wafted over his cheeks, and smell of blood. He told himself it was dangerous to continue, but he wasn't sure why it was dangerous. Any grip he had on logic left him as he brushed his lips gently over hers.

Something sparked in his blood and he pressed harder against her. This was what he had wanted for days. It was fleeting dream and he basked in the moment of racing heartbeats and moist caresses. Even if she could not respond to him, he could dream she was and as he kissed her in that empty, quiet bedroom that's all he could think about.

Warmth in his stomach surged up through his nerves and he began to tremble in the aftershock. As he became aware of her limp lips failing to respond to him he pulled away feeling cold and empty. He desperately searched her face, but even her skin was still the same tint of blue.

Reluctantly, he pulled away from her. He calmly ignored the dizziness that swam his head and stood. With a hollow chest, the king decided it was time to face the awaiting jury of royals. "No matter what happens, I'll protect you, Hitomi."

* * *

..

"You were aware that you would be lying to future allies."

"Yes."

"You were aware that your illness could possible make you incapable of ruling."

"Yes."

"You allowed a foreigner into our meetings."

"Yes."

"In all honesty, we have the right to rip you from this alliance for the wrongs you have willfully committed."

Van nodded solemnly, "I understand the consequences and I humbly kneel before you to beg for you understanding of the position I was in. If there is anyway for me to regain your trust, than tell me so I might complete the task."

Coldness swallowed their eyes and suddenly the king feared the answer they might give. Stepping forward, the king of Bosrom replied stonily, "Execute the mystic."

Van didn't hide the flinch as his chin dropped to the floor, "You can't be serious."

"We are very serious." The ruler of Korris stated passionately. "The woman knows things she shouldn't."

"She knows little and hardly anything worthy of murder!" Van shouted aghast. "My lords and ladies, please reconsider. I understand you are fearful of her origins, but do not kill her for a birthright she had no say in."

"If she was not willing to risk her life, she should not have left her home than."

Van couldn't believe what he was hearing. Kneeling before the court, he scanned the faces and found dark agreement. He could understand ignorant civilians recoiling from her, but these were the educated minds of the world succumbing to superstitions of children! Curling a fist, the king knew he would not win if he continued to debate her heritage. "What information does she know that other lower royals do not? She was not the only commoner in the room during the meetings. If she is executed for her knowledge, than so must everyone else who was not a representative."

"Absurd!"

Van's furious eyes snapped to General Jorgus, "I think it is absurd that a group of outstanding rulers would allow themselves to grow squeamish over a nonviolent woman."

"How dare you!" The general thundered, taking several steps down the short steps of the huge platform.

"Stand down, Jorgus!" The Bosrom King ordered. The general glared momentarily at the Fanelian King before quietly resuming his spot behind his lord.

"She has sacrificed herself to help my kingdom and yours!" Van proclaimed, his head swiveling to look at every face. "She has exposed an intruder and you ignore it!"

The Duke of Freid scowled, "Are you accusing me of the doppelganger's presence?"

"No, Duke." Van exhaled wearily. "I am saying she has revealed that there is someone sending spies in our midst for purposes we are failing to acknowledge. You are more worked up over this woman's curse, than the possibility of another dangerous individual."

"The doppelganger will be found!"

"But will his leader?" Van shouted desperately. "If you continue to place your focus on her, than the one who threatens our alliance will escape!"

His words echoed vividly through their minds and the court was struck into silence. A stroke of a beard and downward stares told Van he had hit the right cord.

"What do you suggest, Lord Fanel?"

"Let me find the spy." He pressed a firm hand over his heart. "If I can reveal the leader of the one who has trespassed on this union, than my kingdom will not be taken from this alliance and the Lady Hitomi's life will be spared."

A few nods at the unshakable logic. "You are given one month to reveal the snake. Your kingdom's fate is in your hands, Lord Fanel, but the Mystic's will yet be undetermined."

Van lurched forward, "Please—"

"Her life hangs on the thread until otherwise." The cold statement vibrated in the tight air. The young king's heart fluttered dangerously close to stopping as he faced the unmoving decision on their faces. His mahogany eyes dropped in defeat.

"I propose another option."

The room shifted curiously as the Zaibach Emperor was rolled towards the head of the group. Van's eyes narrowed suspiciously. Dornkirk's face was blank as he respectfully nodded to the rulers. "It is my understanding that a lot is riding on this king's abilities. If he fails we are at a great disadvantage. The snake shall remain hidden and our alliance might be attacked by a invisible enemy."

"Your point, Lord Dornkirk?" Someone gruffly questioned.

"I do not want to risk my country or this alliance on the shoulders of a man who's already shown his weakness."

"Weakness?" Van seethed. "A sickness is not a sign of weakness."

"Regardless!" Dornkirk overtook the man's furious voice with his own louder one. "I challenge the throne of Fanelia!"

Deafening silence settled on the room, completely shocked by such a request. Several words were muttered as the Fanelian King shook his head. "You have no authority to challenge my seat, Emperor Dornkirk."

A smirk slid subtly into place as a movement of bodies caught the king's attention. "I cannot…"

The black sentential ripped back his hood, revealing a face framed with vibrant summer blue hair. Van's heart _did_ stop this time as he marked the presence of a person he had given up ever seeing again. Dornkirk nearly laughed in glee at the sight of the king's disbelief. "I cannot challenge the Fanelian throne, but the first son of the late Goau, Folken Lancour de Fanel, has the right."


	15. Chapter 15

_A/N: I want to thank everyone for the reviews. I'm very sorry I haven't responded to most. I just don't have the time, no patience to email everyone. Anyone is more than welcome to speak with me through my livejournal account, though. It's soo much easier just to click reply to comment on my account than deal with going back and forth between windows. But please PLEASE still review if you talk to me on livejournal. I write for people, not for myself. Each review just gets me more excited about writing--usually makes me write faster. Thanks again._

* * *

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

* * *

**Chapter 15**

* * *

Jade eyes blinked sleepily in the shards of lantern light. When the remnants of sleep evaporated from her hazy mind, Hitomi inspected her surroundings. Her memories were scattered and fragmented, slipping between her fingers like sand. How had she gotten back to her room? She was certain she had fallen asleep here. How could she have fallen asleep after endless nights of visions disrupting her chances?

Shifting uneasily in her tangled sheets, the seer realized her body felt amazingly refreshed. Barely moving her limbs, she could tell her joints still ached and there was dull throb in her temple, but hardly anything to compare with the torture she had endured recently. Her brow pinched. What had happened?

The muscles in her legs were jumping with energy, hungry for a good run in the fields. Hitomi knew it was unwise to consider the thought. She guessed the moment she tried to stand, her movement would reawaken the awful pain her hours of sleep had pushed down. Could her short slumber actually given her back some her strength? Part of her whispered a resounding _'no,'_ but since she couldn't recall what had happen up to this moment she couldn't be sure.

Allowing her head to sink deeper into the pillow, the seer carefully began to retrace her steps. The throne room flashed vaguely through her mind, along with random faces from the horde of delegates. Her body jerked into fully-awake-mode when she reached the doppelganger. _'He's going to die!'_

Pulling up into a sitting position, her hand subconsciously covered her heart. Confusion tugged at her. _'But why do I care? He's a monster…'_

He had nearly gotten her killed. The vision of black liquid swallowing her began to violently replay through her system. She could almost feel her bones breaking. Her chest began to heave as the air disappeared from her lungs. She remembered Millernia's voice. _'You nearly died…'_

Grinding her teeth together, she pushed back the images. It would be a violent death, one of outrageous pain. She cringed. In the vision, he had gained only a small taste of his future. Whenever he was killed in the near future, it would be ten times worse.

Hitomi shuddered. She couldn't wish that on her worst enemy, let alone a hired assassin. The temple would have seen the man's future death as divine justice. To Hitomi, she cringed at the idea of someone getting away with murder. Maybe the doppelganger deserved to die for his sins. Maybe he deserved torture for an unknown past, but that didn't give a random stranger the right to kill him. The stranger deserved justice for their sins as well as the doppelganger.

_'Besides…'_ Hitomi's eyes slid close as she swamped with a blushing shame. _'I don't…wish for his death.'_

She could imagine the temple's reaction. The idea that she would stand in the way of divine justice was unimaginable to her people's narrowed minds. The Elders would furious and might even go so far as to strip her title from her. Not that she cared. She had never asked to be taken into the temple, to be torn from the arms of her family. Actually, in truth, she had already been stripped from the temple the day she left the valley.

Hitomi gingerly thought of the doppelganger, her thoughts straying to the man's unknown past. She wondered what had pressed the assassin into Dornkirk's servitude. Her third eye shifted dramatically as her powers seeped into place.

* * *

..

_'I shall live and die in battle. A thousand faces are mine, but there is no place for me.' A hunched figure on the floor sobbed. The dark cloak that covered his back bled into the vastness. The doppelganger whispered of hushed secrets and bloody battles. Sobs broke through his whispered narration. _

_His memories from wars of old crept in her mind and her chin trembled. The red field was torn with hundred of shredded flags stuck into the ground like pins. Faces pulled in awkward expressions of fear and pain were half buried in the windblown dirt. It was a graveyard. _

_Her bare feet drug behind her as she slowly passed through the land. There were no words to express the magnitude of death strung out before her eyes. Pushing her weak legs up a small hill, she took in the horizon shadowed with sinking bodies. It was not the remains of a battle she witnessed, but a war._

_Was this the past of Gaea her people had fought so desperately to separate from? Her people lived in isolation to escape the temptation of the world, but perhaps this was an overshadowing fear. But what war was this?_

_'I will forever trudge through blood and corpses. It is the curse of my people's destiny.' She looked down at the solitary person alive in the field, watching sorrowfully how he cried over one of the thousand lifeless bodies. 'Oh, brother…How could I not know it was you!'_

_Hitomi's eyes widened. 'He killed his brother?'_

_Her eyes darted at the bloody soldier he knelt over. She hadn't noticed before with so many in the field, but this corpse had the same pale skin and dark lines covering his face. He was a doppelganger as well._

_' To transform, we must take a life to become that life. It is the only way we know how to live. We were destined for this life. Why else were we given such a gift of masks?'_

_"No!" Hitomi snapped, her face twisting into the nastiest scowl. "I refuse to believe someone's purpose in life was murder."_

_Mamoru's face briefly flashed in the back of her head. How could she ever believe that someone was destined to kill their own beloved family?_

_The sun hastily dove behind the smoky horizon and smothered the field into shadows. In that same blink of an eye, lines of white light stretched upwards, creating dark bars. Hitomi realized they were no longer standing in a field, but on a covered walkway. A new man walked forward, his identity concealed beneath a robe, 'Zongi, do you despise your destiny?'_

_The doppelganger slowly lifted his face, the pain in eyes the only needed confirmation. The stranger knelt, his hood leveling with the creature's eyes. 'I have a proposition for you. Follow me. Together we can rewrite world.'_

_Hitomi's anger boiled. 'Dornkirk!'_

_The doppelganger's face split into a wet smile and his hand reached forward. 'Yes! Thank you, Lord Folken—'_

* * *

..

Hitomi was startled back into her bedroom by the name. She knew that name, but the recollection was vague. Had she read it, somewhere in the history book of Zaibach? The name had to be connected to the country because the doppelganger said he had been sent by Dornkirk.

Frowning, the seer ripped back the covers. _'It doesn't matter. I have to—'_

The walls shifted, and Hitomi froze with the bare pads of her feet brushing the cold floor. The frigid sensation in the stone beneath her feet couldn't compare to the stabbing ice in her spine. Her eyes quickly darted over the room, ignoring the sleeping cat-woman slumped in the nearby couch. Magic was pumping into the room and swallowing the control of the light. Hitomi could tell that this illusion spell was similar to the doppelganger's, except instead of casting a false identity this spell was shifts the view of the room. Shadows were extended and sunk out focus. The colors framing the darkness glowed brighter, tempting her attention. Narrowing her jade eyes on the shadows she noticed shadow dart from the door to behind the dresser. Hitomi's heart galloped into her throat as she realized the shadows were trying to move unseen because someone had intruded into her bedchambers.

Carefully, the seer edged towards the couch, placing her body between the spell and the cat. Whatever energy she had felt in her bed had disappeared with the sinking dread in her chest. Hitomi guessed the short comatose state she had been in had refueled only a little of depleted energy. She would have to be careful or else she would risk falling back into a coma. Forcing her mind off the throbbing in her head, the seer tried to decide if she had enough strength to perform the revealing spell she had used in the throne room. The seer irritably decided against trying. If she guessed wrong and lost consciousness, she'd be putting Merle in danger she was incapable of defending against.

"Zongi?" Hitomi called softly, watchful for further movement. "If you've come to kill me, then all I ask is that you spare the girl."

The heavy darkness froze under her gaze and Hitomi wondered if the intruder knew how to pass through the shadows network. It was a hard skill to master and took a great deal of energy, but it was possible to transport oneself from shadow to shadow without ever daring the exposing light that divided the dark corners. Hitomi grew edgy with each passing second, her head whirling every which way for a possible attack.

Then the nerves in her left arm began to burst into flames. Hitomi recoiled in surprise clutching her arm protectively. The spell was invisible, even to her eyes, but with the way her arm began to grow numb, the seer identified the spell. Merle's soft sigh in her ears got the seer to snap her head to the side and see the cat pressed her nose deeper into the crook of her arm. It was definitely one of the many Sleeper Spells, a very heavy one. She guessed Merle would be out for a solid three hours.

"Excuse me for my intrusion," a female spoke hoarsely. Hitomi carefully turned, preparing for whatever she was about to find. She forced herself to remain impassive as she faced the black tower. The sentinel didn't step from her spot in the darkness. Hitomi could easily tell that the woman was working diligently to keep the illusion up while simultaneously allowing the seer to see her.

"I mean you no harm," the woman whispered firmly.

"You'll excuse me for not believing you." Hitomi ducked her head lower, hoping to see the woman's features below the lowered hood. Unfortunately, the darkness pressed against her face, allowing only a smooth chin and thin, pale lips to be exposed. _'I guess I should be happy I can even see that since she has the ability to be basked in shadows.'_

"I must be brief so I will waste no time," the unidentifiable woman began to speed up her words. "You are a seer, correct?"

Hitomi cocked her head and leaned back slightly.

"Yes," she replied unevenly.

"You must go to the forest," the woman proclaimed, her tone demanding her obedience.

Hitomi took an involuntary step back. "I'll do no such thing."

"You've foreseen things," the woman persisted. "I know are else you wouldn't have dared to challenge Dornkirk as you have."

"So?" the seer squeaked like a cornered child.

The sentinel shifted her gaze towards a random point to her left before returning her shadowed face to the seer. "I don't know what you've dreamed, but I will tell you, it is more than a simple country that Dornkirk wants!"

"What are you getting at?" Hitomi scowled. The wheels inside her head began to turn with frantic haste. If she could confine this woman, she might have a chance at getting some answers. The only problem was that it would have either be a strong ward or a tricky one, neither of which she was a particular good position to perform.

She watched attentively as the woman's hands slipped deeper into her enormous sleeves as they curled into fists. "You must hurry. There is no time for questions."

"I'm not leaving!" Hitomi growled each word with cold emphasis. "Besides I'm in no condition to be running around in a forest."

Rubbing her fingertips together, the seer settled on a spell and measured how long it would take her to say the needed enchantment. She had to be careful when she spoke the syllables, else she might burst open a different spell. She had caused more than one accident in the temple when she had been younger. "Best tell me something quick before I call in the guards."

The sentinel's hood shifted and Hitomi guessed the woman had noticed her fingers writing invisible patterns at her sides.

"Don't," the woman warned with pure steel in her voice. "You will ruin everything if you do."

"Then tell me something other than riddles," Hitomi grounded, the syllables of the spell echoing in her head. "You're on the edge of a dagger, but you're giving me nothing."

"The doppelganger," the woman quickly cried, freezing the seer in the middle of the spell pattern. "He's in the forest!"

Her heart skipped, but the seer stared at her distrustfully. "Why would you come to tell me that? You're with Dornkirk."

"Will you risk a man's life?" the woman asked, her tone growing high with desperation.

Hitomi wanted to rush forward and yank back the woman's hood. The woman was stupid to believe she was just going to take flight. "I'm not going to fall for your trap."

Hitomi whipped up her hands. The first few syllables of the spell had rolled off her tongue when the sentinel had yelled out a world-stopping-name. "Celena!"

Her fingers stiffened in mid-sweep, her jade eyes widening. "What?"

"I'm Celena!" Her hand reached up and yanked back the hood. Steel, blue eyes connected with the seer's green ones. Hitomi studied the face framed in golden curls. This was the girl from her visions. This was Allen's sister.

"I know you," Hitomi mumbled numbly, drifting closer to the beautiful maiden. Celena fidgeted under her gaze, conscious of the wasted seconds passing. "B-But I don't understand."

"This is my proof," the woman exclaimed, stepping to the edge of the shadow, but refusing to leave its protective darkness. Hitomi guessed whatever spell she had going would break if she left the shadows. "If Dornkirk finds out I've come to you, I'm dead."

"But—"

"Listen!" The woman commanded sharply, her wide eyes darting towards another random point. "You're running out of time. My brother is about to kill Zongi to keep Zaibach's involvement a secret."

Eyebrows rose. "Allen?"

"Dilandau!" Celena cried, exasperated. "King Fanel is relying on Zongi's capture to free him from the royals' fury. If he reveals Zaibach treachery, then he can bring the alliance to focus on Dornkirk instead of him."

Hitomi anxiously reached for the woman, but Celena recoiled. "Don't touch me! Else you'll break the concealing spell I've place and Dornkirk will know I'm here. Even now, his eye could be working to break the curtain that hides me!"

Billions of thoughts and emotions were racing through the seer, freezing her feet to the floor. Celena's eyes glittered with tears, something flashing in their watery depths as she watched the seer. "Go!"

Hitomi's reaction was instantaneous. She dug her heel into the floor and crashed out of the room, leaving only a sleeping cat inside. Hitomi slid and slammed into the stone wall outside her door, accidentally knocking one of the tapestries to the dusty floor. Clenching her teeth together, she steeled back a pained whimper and pushed down the hall. She had barely made the first corner when her muscles began to burn, another result from her recent bad health. She was going to need a miracle to reach him in time.

Her feet scrapped against the rough floor as she stumbled into the main corridor. Ignoring the sharp feel of stone ripping into her padded soles, Hitomi locked onto the pair of back doors and fueled every ounce of her reserves into her legs. _'Run like you've never run, Hitomi!'_

She distinctly heard the click of many boots behind her and she wondered if they would see her before she burst out into the gardens. Her palms slapped loudly like a clap of thunder against the pair of doors. Her arms screamed as she shoved the massive doors open. Even if she had been in top condition, she wouldn't have been able to swing them completely open. She was lucky they had even pulled apart.

"Hitomi?" Van's voice was full of wonderment, but she ignored his call as she squeezed through the thin opening. Her robe ripped on one of the silver handles and threw off her balance. This time she couldn't hold back the cry as she fell to the pavement. A strong wind blew across her bare shoulders and she blinked back the white dots that danced before her eyes. Pushing off the ground, she broke into shaky spurt and nearly faltered when her feet sunk into frigid white. The white dots hadn't been from her fall. When had there been time for snow?

_'Keep running, stupid!'_ She immediately flung her shoulders into the howling wind and kicked up shovels of snow. She didn't even notice her feet were covering the white world with red footprints. The stone path had been easy enough to get through, but when she reached the edge of the white field, she fell into a knee deep drift. The coldness pierced straight up her spine, rattling her teeth. Hitomi cursed her thin apparel and shoved her left leg forward. Her resolve almost broke when it moved three times slower against the heavy snow. Panting lightly, she brought her other leg forward, trying to add nonexistent energy into her leg muscles. A blast of white air escaped into the air as gave a frustrated cry. She would never make it in time at this rate!

'_Dear Lord, help me!'_

With raw determination, she began to trudge through the white landscape towards the dark line of trees. Each step forward might as well have been in an ice covered lake. She had never felt so cold in her life. Snow wasn't new to her. It was just that normally she was more prepared to be traveling through it. Soon her blocks-of-ice-called-thighs were hidden beneath the snow and she was quickly loosing sight of her surroundings due to the increasing bad weather. She wanted wrapped her arms around her for warmth, but she needed to keep them outstretched in the freezing wind to help her delicate balance. Unfortunately, her sacrifice gave very little when her leg got caught in a drift and she fell forward. Hitomi shivered. Her stiff body was beginning to feel like its outer layer had become ice. Spitting out hair, the girl stared along the line of snow, searching for the trees she had so vividly seen from the garden. It was as if the wind was boxing her in a world of white. She guessed if she walked in any direction, there would be nothing to find in this wild prison. She needed to keep moving. If she stopped, the snow would bury her. Her fingers were already turning blue.

Her head whipped left and white, hair flying in her eyes. She couldn't be sure which way to go. Her entire intention was to reach the forest. Except with her slow pace, she could destroy her chances of reaching the doppelganger if she went too far in the wrong direction.

Clicking her teeth together, she closed her eyes and leaned her head into the wind. In almost the same second, her pendant appeared in her mind, swirling delicately from its long gold chain. The pale face of her killer pressed to the forefront and she concentrated. She began to trace the point of his ears and the length of his hair. _'Show me to him.'_

The doppelganger's voice pierced through his head completing the image and the pendant swung out. Hitomi's powdered face rolled to her right. All she could see was whirling snow. She felt her energy drop dramatically as she stared hopelessly at the white wall in her path. Depression quickly switched to fury, recklessly pumping adrenaline into her blood stream. '_I won't let you stop me. I have to save him.'_

She wasn't even sure who she was talking about, Van or the doppelganger. Screaming against the needles stabbing into her legs, she began to half walk, half crawl through the field. She prayed Zongi wasn't too far into the forest.

_'Just keep moving…'_ her inner voice encouraged feebly. _'Keep moving or you'll both die.'_

Her body collapsed barely three feet away from her previous position. Adrenaline wasn't enough to keep her moving. She was lucky she had made it this far. Her eyes fluttered dangerously close to closing as her heart began to slow.

"Help me…" she pleaded to the loud heavens, her fingers sliding through the frost for an unseen image. She could see him. His body was a blur from either the snow or her weakened state, but he was there, kneeling in the hand of the red guymelef. Maybe it was a vision, or maybe she had drug herself close enough to the forest. Either way she was unable to stop the captain as he used the liquid metal in the guymelef's hand to wrap around the doppelganger. The creature's pain flew through her head and her mouth flung open in a silent scream.

"No!" She hissed, pulling her body vainly up two more feet. "Don't."

Red eyes burned with vicious thrill as the metal slowly tightened around its victim. The doppelganger pleaded for mercy, but he and Hitomi knew there would be none received. Her pleas were stolen by the roaring wind and her head throbbed as she felt something dark constrict around her heart. With one last desperate lunge, she stretched out to the moaning doppelganger. There was a flash of red and then blackness.

* * *

..

A full day later, Hitomi was hanging her head shamefully as Millernia wrapped the final gauze over her foot. "You foolish, stubborn girl! What were you thinking?"

Hitomi tried to mumble an explanation, but she was quickly interrupted. "I mean you were unconscious in your bed, but that wasn't enough? Are you trying to give us all heart attacks?"

"I'm sorry," she whined for the tenth-time, wringing her hands in the blanket that pooled in her lap. She anxiously glanced up through her lashes at the king standing at the window, his eyes hard as he watched the snowfall. He hadn't spoken since she had pulled out of her second episode of unconsciousness. She hoped he wasn't too furious with her.

Unfortunately, her shame had only grown when she asked about the doppelganger. When they had pulled out of the snow, half-alive, there had been no sign of Dilandau or his guymelef ever being there. The tracks had been covered in minutes. Only the heavy color of red was any hint of foul play.

"You could have gotten one of us, for goodness sake!" Millernia continued to rant as she yanked Hitomi's other bloody foot forward by the tender heel. Hitomi didn't have the energy to complain. The doctor's hand gently pulled off the old bandage. "You of all people shouldn't be out in a blizzard!"

Hitomi gave a slight nod, letting her unfocused eyes drop. The doctor glanced up at her and huffed. Hitomi knew the princess was only angry because she had been frightened. As Merle had explained so bluntly, she had nearly died a second time yesterday and had riled up the rulers. The seer knew she was missing something, especially when she tried to catch the princess's evasive eyes.

"How did the meeting go?" the seer murmured uneasily. Merle kept her eyes down while Millernia sped up her work. Hitomi slumped when Van didn't speak up. "That bad?"

Van shifted awkwardly. His body was so tense that it appeared like it would burst from the pressure. The meeting definitely had been gruesome to darken his mood so greatly. Throwing out her previous attitude towards the meetings, Hitomi eagerly wished she had been there. When several more minutes provided no answers, the seer softly pleaded for answers.

"Folken has returned." His tone was dead of any emotion.

The name echoed in her memory and Hitomi swiveled in surprise, her eyes glazed with weariness. "Folken? That name…"

"My brother," he answered curtly. She could tell he was furious with the way his jaw clenched. "He's one of Dornkirk's men."

Hitomi didn't respond as the king thought she would. He had expected shock or an immediate question. When he heard nothing, he glanced over at her. She was sitting quietly with a thoughtful expression on her face. Something dangerous stirred in his chest. "Did you know?"

Millernia stopped in the middle of wrapping the seer's foot and looked curiously up at the silent woman. Hitomi shook her head. "Not until yesterday. I had a vision of the doppelganger. He spoke of Folken and so I guessed, but I had little time to think on it."

His eyes narrowed uncertainly on her. "He's come to challenge my crown."

If she had known, then she hardly acted like she did as she looked perplexed at him. "How could he do that? More so, I thought he was dead."

"It was ruled years ago that he was," Van stated dryly, turning back to the windows. Hitomi cursed herself for not learning more about the invasion and his family's deaths. She had read up on the country rebuilding and Van's rise into power. She never considered looking deeper into the murders.

"What do you mean 'ruled'?"

He opened his mouth, intending to reply to the innocent question, but his jaw slowly closed with a gruff exhale. It didn't take long for her to figure out he wasn't going to answer. She anxiously looked to the cat-girl for help and saddened when she saw her drooping ears. Merle blinked sorrowfully at the seer. "When Zaibach invaded years ago, they had intended to kill the entire royal family and take over. Folken had saved Van's life, but ended up captured as a result."

"He gave up!" Van snapped loudly. The women stared uneasily as the man's hands clenched white as his sides. "He surrendered his life to th-those monsters!"

Merle's ears flattened against her scalp. This wasn't the first time she and Van had spoken over his forgotten sibling, but she was never eager to converse on the topic. She went rigid when she heard the innocent question leap from the seer's lips. "Surrendered?"

Immediately, an old fire burst into the king's ruby eyes. "I don't know how he did it, but he convinced the ruler back then to take him in exchange for the kingdom and my life. We never heard any sure word, but we had hoped he had been killed."

Hitomi flinched. "You can't be serious."

Van turned away, jaw set. The seer gentle pushed away the doctor's hands and stood on wobbly legs. Hitomi frowned as her stomach rolled. "I don't care what the circumstances were. There is nothing in this world that would make me want the death of my brother."

"You don't know anything." The king thundered, whirling on her with overwhelming ease. Hitomi knew she had stepped on lethal ground when Merle cowered into the plush armrest of the couch. Unfortunately, it was too late to take back her words, and even, if she knew how, Hitomi wasn't quite ready. She wanted to know what laid in the dark confines of his heart. That's why she was here. She was here to help him through this. So with a wavering stare, she lifted her chin from her chest and refused the temptation to step back.

He was in her face faster than expected, seething with the fires of Hell in his eyes. This wasn't the first time they had been so close and furious, but she had never witness the level of anger that was burning holes into her.

"He was my brother!" The king whispered with disgust. "He was my last link to my family when he burst into the throne room that day. He could have fought. He could have begged. I don't care what he did, but he shouldn't have left me!"

Hitomi's heart sobbed when she saw the little boy shining in his face. In the two months she had known him, he had never pulled back the curtain as he was at the moment. He was vividly torn between the adult understanding that his brother had left so he might live and the young bitterness of being left behind. Van might have been able, years ago, to deal with the loss of his brother, if he hadn't been in the center of crumbling kingdom.

"He did it for you" she replied fiercely, trying to convey all the sorrow she could in one look. "He loved you! He probably wouldn't have been able to live with himself if you died!"

"Yet, here he is again." Van threw back his hands, marking the entire castle in the sweep. "Ready to step up after years of silence to take back everything he's abandoned, everything I have sweated for!"

He almost chuckled a heartless laugh. The man he had worshipped in his youth had solidified into his enemy. Before he had held a faltering bitterness and soft adoration for the man, but after Folken pulled back his hood, there was nothing that could express the young king's empty feelings. That small shard of love he had clung to through the battles of his reign had crashed to the floor.

"There's something going on," Hitomi replied firmly. Van rolled his eyes and turned, but she quickly grabbed his shoulder.

"There has to be." She persisted louder. "It's the only way to explain it."

"No, there's another way to explain it." He stated coldly as a shadow crossed over his face. "He's waited for this day. He spent his years working towards this moment to take power."

"For what?" she exclaimed, totally surprised by such an illogical statement. "What would make him want to do this? Or believe there was a chance Fanelia could one day grown back into its old glory?"

Van was already ignoring her. "I've always wondered how Zaibach so effortlessly moved into the city. They had taken over secret tunnels and had known the backup strategy when the castle is overtaken. Then in a heartbeat, they took Folken and left without a word. They had us both and with us the kingdom, but they _left_ with only him as a prize."

"Why don't you ask?" she interceded, grappling for any way to capture his focus. The way he was ranting to himself reminded her of the time in the garden. If he had somehow relapsed, she didn't know what to do. She was too weak to remove any vision or offer any energy through the spiritual link between them.

"Call on him." She commanded boldly.

"There's no point," he stated evasively. "By challenging the throne, Folken has to explain himself to the High Priest. By Fanelia's law, a monarch is divinely chosen by our God, Escaflowne, and so the kingdom shall turn to the Priest's judgment on how to proceed."

A cold warning flared in the back of the seer's mind. She was still bitter with the Temple back home so when he talked about turning to his people's religious figurehead, she became nauseated. Then a random crossed her sinking defeat bringing her shoulders up. "Millernia, could you call Allen in?"

The princess, who had been quietly watching from sidelines up to this point, blinked in surprise at the question. "Huh?"

"Call him in, please."

After a confused glance exchanged with the others, the blonde woman hurried to the door. Allen had been kept outside in hopes of keeping unwanted ears away as they spoke with Hitomi privately about what had happened. They wanted to get the story first before it was taken and thrown out of proportion by the hungry nobles. Walking in, the knight bowed respectfully to the seer and awaited her command.

Van watched her curiously, his anger still present, but only simmering now by her sudden turn of action. Hitomi smiled pleasantly. "Allen, tell me what happen to your sister."

The knight's blue eyes widened marginally. "My sister?"

"Yes." She repeated gently, expecting his reaction. "Your sister, Celena."

"You know of her?" he asked, astounded.

Millernia's blue eyes darted between the two. "I wasn't aware you had any family left, Allen."

"She's gone." He replied to them both, his voice serene as if haunted by the mere thought of his sibling. "She was spirited away when she was very young."

Hitomi faltered. "You never saw her again?"

The knight's sad eyes connected with hers, and a cold sensation passed between them. "Never."

The seer half-turned away, lost and confused. "And your brother? Her twin?"

He stiffened in the corner of her eye. Biting her lower lip, she pressed, "He disappeared shortly after his birth, didn't he?"

"What are you getting at, Lady Hitomi?"

The seer's eyes had drifted to the windows, the slow downfall of snowflakes catching her attention. "Van, is it common for snow this time of year?"

The king scowled. "What?"

Hitomi stepped up to the glass, her breath foggy up the windows. "I'm just curious."

His face was bewildered. "There hasn't been a blizzard this time of year for decades, but it's not impossible."

The seer nodded, her instincts whispering dark things to her. Everyone shifted nervously, thrown off balance by the seer's odd questions. The blanket of mystery that had hung over her people fell over the woman once again before their eyes, making the hair of the back of their necks stand upright.

"What is it, Hitomi?"

Taking in the whiteness covering the kingdom, the seer felt a dangerous shadow pass over her soul. Shaking her head lightly, she whispered hopelessly, "I don't know."


	16. Chapter 16

**_A/N: Short, but powerful. _  
**

* * *

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

* * *

**Chapter 16**

* * *

..

Hitomi had retreated to the library immediately following her interrogation. They had called after her, but she bluntly told her friends she had to be alone to think. More so, she had fled because they had wanted answers she didn't have. She was a seer of nearly a decade and she couldn't figure out a single blasted clue. She didn't have the strength to deal with the lost look in their eyes.

It was embarrassing! She should have been able to do so much more for them.

Her fingers tightened and tossed the book onto her growing pile in the plushy chair. Another volume was selected, skimmed, and thrown aside. Hitomi glared angrily at the shelf.

Two days.

Two whole days…

And she still had nothing. She had written notes, flipped through over a third of library, reread every sentence in her journal, and tried to remember every vision she had since she had arrived in Fanelia.

Nothing.

Her heart sunk deeper as she thought to Van's approaching trial against his brother. It would have begun sooner, but the Head Priest had locked himself away in the temple for the past two days, performing some ridiculous séance for divine guidance. Hitomi didn't believe the excuse, but she understood the immense pressure the poor man was suffering. He had to decide who the true king was while a very heated alliance was shadowing the kingdom.

Her eyes snapped back to the line of books. She could feel the darkness of her visions and tarot cards closing in around her. Whatever little time she had was rapidly diminishing. She surged forward, reaching for another volume, and proceeded to knock the entire shelf to the floor. Hitomi squeaked in surprised and leapt backwards to save her exposed toes. Once the final book clapped onto the floor, the seer threw back her head and groaned. She was making things worse.

Hitomi went rigid. _'Am I making things worse?'_

The question was far bigger than the library. It swallowed the kingdom and dared to stretch out and envelop the world. Hitomi hurried to her knees and began to hastily clean the mess. She refused to fall into that dark pit of thoughts. If she began to doubt her presence here in Fanelia, if she gave up then—

Her head snapped up as the doors creaked and a brunette peeked inside. She was surprised to see the merchant, Dryden if she remembered correctly, scanning the room. Straightening, the seer waited for his gaze to reach her. When he spotted her, his eyes filled with uncertainty.

"May I help you, sir?" she question timidly. Hitomi wasn't anxious to speak with anyone anytime soon and would tremendously prefer to be left to her solitude. She hoped she could be rid of him quickly. "I am afraid I'm the only one here if you were looking for someone."

"No, no! I had hoped to speak with you, my dear lady." He waved off her comment as he hastily shut the door behind him. Hitomi inwardly groaned. He probably wanted to discuss about potential trading routes with the Valley.

Hitomi schooled her face into a bright smile. "Really? On what matters, sir?"

"Please call me, Dryden." He replied warmly, his shadowed eyes dropping to the pile on the floor. "Had a small tumble with the bookshelves, did we?"

She prayed he didn't see her jaw clench. "Just doing a little research, that's all. The library hasn't been cooperative in my search."

His expression seemed to take a hungry edge. "What is the topic?"

Hitomi's smiled dipped slightly. "Nothing much."

"Nothing?" He scoffed with a deep chuckle. "Must be a special amount of nothing to keep you locked away in here for two days."

Her jade eyes darkened to a deep emerald. "Have you been spying on me?"

His bellow of laughter startled her. She couldn't be certain, but she thought a guilty glint had passed over his face before he had burst into a fit of laughs. "Not in the least, my dear. I had requested to know your location just now to Lord Fanel and he happened to mention you had been in here for quite a large sum of time. He thought you might refuse my speaking with you."

"I'm still inclined to refuse." She answered curtly, carefully studying the man. He might be Millernia's fiancé, but she didn't know him beyond his status. The most she had heard outside of her short talks with the princess was that he was an effective and resourceful businessman with high ranking intelligence. Add on his dashing face and Hitomi could begin to guess how Millernia had fallen in love with the merchant. Regardless, however, that Millernia approved of the man, being alone with him unnerved the young seer. "I have a lot to do, Dryden. So please be brief."

Dryden's expression flickered. "Once I've gotten started I highly doubt you will be ready for me to leave, my lady."

Hitomi scowled. "I hope you are not hitting on me, sir."

"No!" he quickly threw up his hands, his face filled with disbelief. "Never would I dream of destroying what I have with Millernia. What I meant to imply was that I have information you would probably find interesting."

Hitomi's lips thinned into a tight line, not at all convinced. After the episode with Celena, she had had enough people coming to her with information. "Like what?"

"May we sit?" he asked motioning to the circle of chairs situated in the empty center of the library. Hitomi nodded stiffly and followed the merchant towards the scarlet seats. She would finish cleaning the books after he left. Reclining into the nearest chair, the seer focused on the odd shadows playing in the man's brown eyes. He seemed to be on edge. His hands kept twitching nervously at his side and he was looking at her with a curious expression. The merchant smiled gently, "Before I begin, may I ask, Lady Hitomi, why you came to Fanelia?"

The seer's eye twitched. "I believe Lord Van and I have already explained—"

"I mean why you chose to come?" he hurried to interrupt, his expression bright and hopeful. "Instead of staying in the valley?"

The seer was a little surprise by the question. No one had asked since she had revealed as a Mystic. Shifting awkwardly in her seat, she glanced away from his searching eyes. She enjoyed speaking about her beliefs, but after her recent doubts she wasn't feeling up to discussing why she had travel so far from home. She felt like she had made a mistake. "I had hoped God had finally given us an opportunity to redeem my people."

The merchant's hopeful look immediately dropped. "That's why?"

Hearing his disappointed tone, she turned inquisitive eyes to him. "Why did you think I came?"

Leaning his elbows onto his knees, the merchant stared at her grimly. "I'm not really sure what I hoped was your reason for coming here."

Hitomi's fingers dug into the armrest. "Excuse me, Dryden, but I've had my share of riddles. If you wish to tell me something, then do so fully. Else, I shall return to my books."

Strangely, the man didn't appear to be put out by her comment. He merely cocked his head and stared thoughtfully. "You don't know anything about it, do you?"

He sounded lost, possibly shocked. Gazing into her angry face, he asked gently, "Please, tell me my lady, have you ever heard of the Winged Goddess?"

Hitomi sensed something dangerous pass over her head upon hearing the name. She had never heard of the person, but the name sounded powerful. There was an enormity to the person that made it difficult to breath. "Never."

He became somber upon hearing her answer. "It comes from an ancient prophecy embedded throughout Gaea. Some have forgotten it and others have hidden it, but Fanelia is one of the few who have kept it in the forefront of their minds, mostly because it's connected to their religion.

"It speaks of day when the world will be thrown into chaos and Escaflowne shall rise to bring judgment and wash the world clean. What its saying is Escaflowne will annihilate the world."

Hitomi's heart stopped completely. The thought of her cards had scattered onto her bedroom floor in a disorganized mess was pulsing through her skull. **_'Chaos… My cards had predicted chaos.'_**

She swallowed. Her mouth suddenly felt like sandpaper.

"Does it say when it will happen?" her voice sounded oddly detached to her ears.

He didn't seem to notice. "It says Escaflowne will rise upon the Winged Goddess's command."

She felt like she was dying inside. The look in his intense chocolate eyes was penetrating into the depths of her soul. "Who is the Winged Goddess?"

His gaze never darted from her as he stated hollowly, "They said she would be a mystical woman from a far away place. She would be able to weave through dreams and see through time. You would know her by the brand of the heavens and have stars covering her body."

Hitomi involuntarily slipped her hand behind her leg.

"I think that's enough to tell you what this means."

She had lost sight of the man as she fell boneless against the chair. "Surely, it's impossible."

He watched her sorrowfully as her head swung to the side, eyes unfocused. "I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. If I had known from the beginning your heritage, I would stepped forward the first day."

"I am not the only woman bearing stars upon her body." She insisted frantically. "There are over a dozen other women with stars—"

"Back in the valley." He finished dryly. "You are the first and only to appear in Fanelia."

Hitomi's glazed eyes darted back to him. "It can't be me. I am hardly a goddess."

She desperately wanted to escape this nightmare. If it was true, what he said than she would cause an apocalypse. She was telling herself it was a mistake and that the story was a network of lies, but in a deep recess of her soul, she felt a swell of energy churn at the admission. She remembered the visions of countless fires and the treaty burning up. If she closed her eyes, she could almost hear the screaming.

"Why did Van not tell me of this prophecy?" she mumbled weakly. "If I had known… I would never…"

She trailed off brokenly.

"He probably doesn't know the entire passage." Dryden replied gently. He could tell from her tone that she felt betrayed. "As I said the prophecy has been scattered across Gaea. I only knew a small portion myself up until recent events."

She blinked and suddenly there was renewed light in her jade eyes. "Recent events? Like what?"

Dryden sighed loudly, his hands falling limply in his lap. "There's been a man digging around for information regarding the prophecy. He employed me months ago to gather any information or artifacts that could help him in his research. With my connections and business skills, I've been able to retrieve a great deal from various sources. I don't think he considered the idea I would research what I found."

"Dornkirk." She blurted instantly. "He's the one who asked you to dig for information."

Dryden nodded solemnly. "I don't know why he requested for the information, but I have no doubt that is more than enjoying a good bedtime story."

Her mind flickered momentarily to her home and she answered with a low rasp, "No, it's definitely more. He's been searching for me. Zaibach invaded the valley recently in search of a woman, but if it is to find the Winged Goddess, I don't understand why."

The merchant shifted nervously as Hitomi added, "I can only guess it is for some dark purpose."

Silence stretched between the pair as the bitter realization settled on their shoulders. Her eyes slid shut in defeat as she let the silent tears escape. A warm hand took hers and she carefully sucked in a deep breath. Dryden offered a heartfelt smile she couldn't return. Feebly, she turned her face towards the window and ideally wondered if her heart matched the temperature outside.

* * *

..

Van strode purposefully down the hall, his jaw tight and beginning to ach from the strain. He hadn't been able to gain an audience with his brother after two days of endless requests. He had hoped they could settle this entire mess like adults. From the distant look he had received from his brother days ago, Van couldn't hope his brother wanted to reconnect as lost siblings, but he had prayed it would be enough to speak civilly to one another on the matter of the throne. Van personally couldn't care if his brother went to Hell, but for his people sake he was forcing down his grudge and ready to talk. After so many, however, refusals by Dilandau's men, the young king was about to tear apart half of his castle.

Luckily for the castle's occupants, the Head Priest had finally exit the temple late that evening and proclaimed the Trial of Kings would begin in three days time on the night of the Half Moon. Van doubted his patience could last that long, but at least it was a step in the right direction. His guests had been growing anxious and verbally impatient as of late and Van was glad to give them a date to quiet their whining. When they heard the news, it was agreed to let the trial play out before going any further with the treaty.

With that handled, Van's mind had finally turned to other things and had found his feet leading towards the seer's door. He had checked the library, but she had been surprisingly absent. Shrugging inwardly, the king hoped she had given in and taken some much needed rest. Millernia had pressed her to return to bed, but Hitomi had merely ignored her. Even when the princess had dropped the bombshell of the seer's disease, the sick woman had silently continued reading her book, giving little reaction to the ominous news. _"There is nothing to be done about that. Leave it be, Millernia."_

Van had been shocked into silence at her answer. If she accepted her fate, then it meant she had known all along the consequences of her decision to use the Forbidden Spell. It meant she was willing to die for him.

Reaching her door, the king hesitated to knock. The enormity of what he was about to do was suddenly crashing down on his head and a rock had lodged in his throat. Licking his lip, he stared furiously at the door, cursing his fear. He had gone into countless battles, but he wasn't ready to charge into a woman's bedroom. Irony was cruel.

Exhaling shakily, Van raised his hand and forced the muscles in his arm to obey. The knock vibrated down his forearm and his breathed stilled in his lungs as he waited.

"Come in." Her muffled voice strained.

Van swallowed nervously and grabbed the handle in his clammy fingers. Swinging open the door, the king was confused to see her room had been cleaned and neatly reorganized to the state it had been before her arrival. His racing heart screeched to halt and dove into floor as he found her stuffing her journal into her small bag. Her back was to him, but he could tell from her tense shoulders that she was upset.

"What's going on?" his voice responded mechanically.

She picked up several folded robes and pushed them meticulously into the handbag. "I'm leaving."

Something died instantly upon her emotionless response. "Now?"

Tying the top down on her bag, the seer lightly covered the top of things with her hands and hung her head. "Yes."

"Why?" he blurted, taking a few frantic steps towards her.

Her shoulders drooped. "I'm causing problems, Van. It would be better if I left."

His hand lunged forward and grabbed her elbow. Spinning her around, Van was surprised to see her beautiful emerald colored eyes puffing and red. She had to have been crying for hours. Regrouping, the king stated gently, "No one is asking you to leave."

"I think it is understood," she whispered.

"Not by me!" He snapped, furious at the royals for pushing her through this torment. "Hitomi, you leaving will change nothing. I'll still go against my brother and then have to face the Alliance."

She miserably shook her head. "I'm still leaving."

His hand tightened on her arm. "Don't do this."

Hitomi smiled softly, her red face strangely angelic as she lifted her hand towards his face. Before her fingers could brush his cheek, however, she began to curl away, eyes dark. Van hastily grabbed her hand and pressed it firmly against his cheek. Closing his eyes, he turned towards her palm.

Her heart squeezed upon the content expression glowing on his face. She had hoped to slip away without his knowing. She knew he would try and stop her if he found her, but sadly, she was not fast enough. Her body was far too weak.

His eyes slid half-open and stared heatedly at her. She shuddered as he pressed a wet kiss to the inside of her wrist. Her insides twisted violently as she stared into his burning gaze.

"Do you know?" He rasped, unconsciously bringing their bodies closer.

She nodded feverishly, her brain only half-registering the question. "I know."

With a small lurch forward, Van connected their lips into a hot kiss. The room appeared to plunge into darkness as he moved deliciously over her mouth. Van's grip on her hand slackened and her hand leisurely slid past his temple to the back of his head while his tangled into the back of her robe. Both of them were sloppy, inexperienced kissers, but the hot emotions racing through their blood easily covered up the awkwardness. His gripped tightened as she responded with equal fever.

The kiss was a desperate attempt to pour the unspoken love into single dance of touch. Maybe it was a cowardly to kiss her without properly proclaiming his undying devotion for her, but at the moment he was too high in heaven to consider he might never get a chance later.

In the back of Hitomi's brain, a level clicked and her eyes snapped open. Van groaned softly when she reluctantly pulled away. Chest heaving, the king lustfully stared at her through half-lidded eyes. She had never looked more desirable with her lips swollen and a steady blush topping her cheeks. He attempted to lean in for another kiss, but she hastily pressed her fingers to his mouth.

"We shouldn't." She grounded out through clenched teeth. "It only makes it harder."

His eyes widened in disbelief. "You're still going to leave?"

She nodded, a new wave of tears pouring down her face. Her chin trembled as she duck her head. She choked as her heart burst. "I have to. Just know it's not because I want to leave."

"Hitomi—" he began frantically.

"Don't!" she hissed painfully, snapping a furious glare at him. "Don't make this harder!"

She slid out from his hands like inhaling air and Van watched numbly as she grabbed her bag's strap. There eyes met for one powerful, time stopping moment. He wanted to demand her to stay, to stand by his side for all eternity. She wanted to be a normal person, who didn't have to turn away from a chance at happiness. Without a word, she walked passed him with her bag heavy on her back. He never turned around to stop her, even though his mind was screaming a thousand reasons for her to stay.


	17. Chapter 17

_**A/N: Only 3-4 chapters left. Ready or not?**_

* * *

__

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

* * *

**Chapter 17**

* * *

When she had first seen the valley blanketed white, Hitomi had calmly asked her mother if God could baptize her like He had the world. To see the spotless canvas covering her home, the small child had bubbled with excitement. She had always been fascinated with the clean pearl halls of the Temple, treasuring the symbol of purity as hope for her wingless back.

Ever since that first winter, Hitomi had cherished the first snow of the year as a reminder that she could earn back God's grace. Sadly, those thoughts were forgotten as she battled a mind chilling wind that stabbed into her weary limbs. Hitomi gritted her teeth and shoved another leg forward. She was glad she had enough sense to wear a pair of breeches beneath her robes. They were thin, but it better to wear them than nothing against the weather.

"Curse you Dornkirk," the seer hissed, teeth chattering. There was no doubt in her mind that her ill travel weather was result of the emperor's doings. Hitomi had never heard of a Mystic having the extreme power of manipulating the weather, but the likely hood of two snow storms hitting in forty-eight hours was near impossible. The idea explained a lot about the emperor, including how he was able to save a nation from starvation and collapse. All he needed was to call some special weather to help the crops and cause trouble for invaders. After a small proclamation of favor from some random god, Dornkirk would have had the people under his exploitation.

Her heart burned with fury. _'The man is the Devil. He used his powers to gain power, the very reason why we lost our wings in the first place.'_

Hitomi's foot slid in the heavy drift and the woman stumbled to her knees. Both of her bare hands sunk into the cold frost causing a painful grimace to pass over the seer's face. Blinking against the hard wind, she examined her surroundings. With the clouds hiding the sun and everything a blue of white, it was hard to estimate how far and how long she had walked. She had left an hour before midday and from the way her body ached she felt like it had been a week since that hour.

The snow stung in her eyes and she blinked rapidly to scan the blurred horizon. There was a dark mass ahead, towards the right. She hoped it was the forest she had initially aimed for when she left the cover of the castle. It was her only option for travel. If she went through the market, she would definitely run into angry citizens. Sick and exhausted, the seer was nothing against a mob. She wouldn't have made it far even with most of the town tucked in their homes away from the storm.

Picking up her weary body from the drift, she tugged on her cloak and pushed her shoulders into the harsh wind. She needed to rest. Her body was too sick to stand out in this weather for much longer. She was personally surprise she hadn't blacked out already. Each step was a flash of heat and ice. Her muscles were burning. She stumbled a second time, but caught her balance before disappearing into the snow.

The shadows loomed nearer and she hastily doubled her efforts. The trees would offer some shelter from the wind. She might be able to find a place to make a fire and get some rest. She definitely needed it.

After what felt like an hour of crawling through waist deep snow, Hitomi reached the edge of the forest. Refusing to celebrate her arrival until she had found a shelter from the wind, she pressed on past the tree line. She groaned in relief when she spotted the black length of a fallen trunk. Her joy doubled with greedy excitement on reaching the timber and saw it was hollow. At that moment, she didn't care if a horde of snakes and critters lived inside. She grabbed the crest of the hole and drug her weak form over the broken edge. Her weight pulled her in the rest of the way and she flopped boneless onto a bed of leaves and snow. Her eyelids were beginning to slip close when her inner voice reminded her she needed to crawl deeper into the trunk, away from the cold opening. Unfortunately, her legs didn't respond and her arms were too weak to pull her weight even a few inches. Hitomi sighed and rolled over onto her shoulder so her backpack faced the wind. She would have to pray it was enough to keep her from freezing to death in her sleep. Shoving her chin against her chest, the seer slipped away from the world.

* * *

..

He still hadn't moved from his spot in her bedroom. There was no point. If he moved, than he would have to face the she was truly gone. It was better to pretend the world had stopped. At least in this limbo, he could hang onto the memory of her lips against his.

_"Do you know?" He rasped, unconsciously bringing their bodies closer. **'Do you know that I love you?'**_

_She nodded feverishly, her brain only half-registering the question. "I know."_

His eyes screwed shut. It kept replaying through his head. Every time he imagined the feel of her soft mouth, the snatch of memory rose unbidden to the forefront of his mind. He gnashed his teeth together. "If you knew, why did you leave?"

He shuddered. "Was it easy for you to step out? Was it because you d-didn't love me?"

_"Don't!" she hissed painfully, snapping a furious glare at him. "Don't make this harder!"_

He felt empty, staring down at her perfectly made bed. Even seeing her broken and battered under the sheets would have brought some life to his hollow chest.

"You were my last chance." He mumbled involuntarily, his tone dead. "I told you that one day you would leave, too. I knew and I still hoped that maybe I could bind you to me."

Her jade eyes flashed though his mind and the breath stilled in his weak lungs. "How do I keep going after this? I was ready to die and fade from this lonely life. What do I do now?"

His heart thudded hollowly and his eyes drifted to the window, trying to look beyond the snow and see her familiar figure. She had to be a couple of miles away by now, but to look in her direction made it easier to breath.

"Hitomi, I can't do this without you." He exhaled tightly.

Time suddenly jerked forward as the door crashed open behind him. He could hear several pairs of feet shuffle to a surprise halt behind him, but he didn't move, hoping he could return to his thoughts of her palm against her cheek. He had to believe she was still here with him, or die.

_Van's grip on her hand slackened and her hand leisurely slid past his temple to the back of his head while his tangled into the back of her robe. _

"Van-sama? Where's Hitomi?"

The unbearable truth stole the last glimmer of hope from his soul and he sunk into despair. "She left."

It only took a small breathe to speak the two tiny words, but it stole the wind out of him. He wavered on his feet, ignoring the gasps. The world was starting back up around him and he wasn't ready to deal with it. _'Leave me alone.'_

"Where did she go?" an unfamiliar male asked.

"Don't know." He mumbled. He didn't care who knew. He didn't care about anything. "She probably went home."

"But she couldn't have!" Merle hurried to her brother's side, her tone disbelieving. "She was banished from her home."

It took a few minutes for the news to sink into his brain, but when it did, he felt something unknown stir in his gut. "What?"

Merle meekly glanced behind him, probably at the others who had entered with her, before staring back at him with an apologetic look. "I'm sorry I didn't tell you, Van-sama, but I was so worried about how sick she looked."

"Tell me what, Merle?" he questioned, a small bit of life flaring into his tone.

Her ears pressed against her head, a sign of fear. "She said when she came to Fanelia, it had been against her people's wishes. They forbid her to return."

Van stared at her blankly, "B-But then…why did she…"

The question hung unfinished for several seconds before the voice from earlier spoke up. "I think I know."

The king turned. "How's that, Dryden?"

* * *

..

_Slanted his head, he pressed further against her wanting mouth, heat bleeding through her in powerful strokes. It was unearthly how he made the room disappear. When he twisted his strong hands into the back of her robe, she pressed dangerously against the full length of him. _

"Van!" Hitomi gasped, snapping wide awake. Acknowledging her surroundings, the seer sadly laid her head back down. The leaves rustled when she sighed, "Just a dream."

Her heart caved in as she added, "A broken dream."

She could never go back. Dryden had said the Winged Goddess would summon Escaflowne. Even though, Escaflowne was a god of another country, she was fearful to test the prophecy. Her visions and cards had spoken too much of uprising devastation.

_'It's better this way. You're presence was causing friction. Van might not have said it, but your life was probably in danger.'_

She awkwardly shifted in her hole and replaced the robe that had slipped in her fitful sleep. Her eyes slid to the gray sky. The snow had slowed considerably and there was a break in the clouds announcing the day was nearly over. _'It might be good to stay here for the night.'_

Unbidden a second voice hissed, _'And then? What will you do?'_

She pressed her cheek into the cold leaves. _'I don't know.'_

Beyond this point, there laid a future lacking everything important. There were no goals, no people, no home, and absolutely no life. With no hope for open arms, she would have to become a hermit, possibly a wanderer. She would live out her days, one after the other. Her only activity would be survival, whether it will be physical or emotional.

_'Not that I have much time as there is.'_

True, her body was gradually failing. The disease had definitely spread from the feel of the new lump she had found on the inside of her left breast earlier that morning. Millernia said she would soon begin to bleed from open sores. Hitomi cowered at the idea of her becoming a living mummy.

_'Why not just end it?' _An inner voice hissed darkly in her ear. The seer angrily swatted at the invisible fly. She was suddenly sitting up, fully alert. The pride in her scoffed the idea. She was strong enough to survive this. She would live through it.

_'As an invalid?'_

Hitomi froze.

_'What life is there when you are hobbling your way through excoriating pain?'_

_'Millernia said it would painful. The ones who contracted the disease spent their last breaths moaning at the top of their lungs. Do you want that life?'_

"Of course not." She snapped quietly, tears filling her eyes. "What I want…"

Her words faded on her tongue as her mind came to a screeching halt. _'What do I want anymore?'_

Before, she had lived her life solely to regain the grace of God. To same extent, she still wanted that, but she also felt her heart being tugged back the way she had come.

_'It's over…There's no point in dreaming. It only makes it harder to let go.'_

Her eyes lifted.

_'Let go…'_

Unconsciously, the bag slipped from her shoulders and her hands went for the opening. Ignoring how the wind went straight through her cloak, the seer stepped into the snow. With the break in the storm, she was able to see her surroundings. She had barely gotten into the rim of the forest. Her feet mechanically stepped forward.

_'Let go…What is left to hang on to?'_

* * *

..

"That can't be possible!" Van shouted back. "That's a myth!"

"You can't say your fathers before you have taken the prophecy so lightly." Dryden shrewdly replied. "Why else have they have had a High Priest with authority over the crowning. They fear Escaflowne's judgment."

Van whirled on the merchant. "Hitomi will not destroy the world!"

"I never said she wanted to. Her place in their prophecy is as a catalyst to an end. That's why she left. She knew if she stayed, then she would bring this Armageddon to life."

"Her leaving could do the same thing!" Van retorted hotly. "The prophecy doesn't say where it will begin or how exactly. It merely explains the Winged Goddess being connected to Escaflowne's rise."

* * *

..

Hitomi could see a break through the trees. It was a clearing. No, it was a cliff.

* * *

..

"It doesn't matter." Millernia interrupted loudly, stepping in between the seething king and her flustered fiancé. She stared sourly into the royal's smoking eyes. "Whether or not Hitomi is the Winged Goddess—"

"She is!" Dryden hastily replied earning a sharp glare from his wife-to-be.

"She's out there in the freezing weather, sick and exhausted." She continued stonily. "I don't know what her presence means here, but I know what it means out there. She won't survive the night."

* * *

..

Hitomi stared down the sharp drop. There was a frozen river a mile down and another rising wall of rock on the other side about a hundred yards away.

She blinked lazily. If she was the goddess, then her death would keep the prophecy from being fulfilled. If she wasn't the goddess, then she would be spared the painful future of her life. The wind whistled softly through the chasm and her eyes instinctively closed. It was calling to her, whispering to her to come closer. Her feet stepped closer to the edge allowing the chilly wind to blow through her hair.

_'Fade away.'_

* * *

..

Van's head jerked, his mouth open. "W-What?"

_'I just want to fade away.'_

His eyes frantically swept over the room, ignoring the perplex looks of his companions. "Hitomi?"

_'Fade away. Let me fade away.'_

Something stabbed in his temple and his hand gripped his head.

"Van?"

"Van-sama?"

He groaned as a wild flurry of images abruptly surfaced. It was like another one of his episodes, except this time he was seeing her. She was standing in the snow, the cloak she had taken earlier whipping around her still form. Her jade eyes were starring downwards. When he followed her gaze, he realized she was looking at a chasm. It looked like the Whisper Crevice. He sucked in a deep breath in realization.

_'Let me fade from memory, from existence.'_

She was already inches from the edge, her face showing no sign of stepping back from danger. His stomach lurch when her foot rose into the empty air.

Suddenly he was jarred back to the reality of his room, seeing his friends crowding him with concern in their fearful eyes. "Van?"

He didn't say anything to them as he broke for the balcony doors. He heard their calls of shock and confusion, but he didn't pay attention to them. In half a heartbeat, he had flung open the glass doors and filled the room with freezing air.

"Van-sama!"

"My Lord Fanel!"

Two long steps onto the platform and then the room filled with an unearthly whiteness that rivaled the snow.

* * *

..

Her hands stretched out beside her as she leaned forward. She calmly imagined herself flying through the clouds like the many dreams before. The wind howled like banshees and her eyes screwed shut. The air pushed against her ribs, stealing her voice and tossing her like a ragdoll. She fought to keep her fall steady, but each blast of air she hit, she spun out of sorts. She couldn't tell if she was scared or not. By the time she figured out, she would probably have hit the ground.

'_It won't be much longer.'_

She quietly slipped away into the corner of her soul, allowing the wind to have her in the wild tumble it demanded. She inhaled deeply and smelt the pleasant scent of the fields. Fighting the wind, she wrapped her arms around her body and thought of his warmth. There was no flash of life before her eyes. There was only his memory.

His wine colored eyes vivid beneath his dark messy bangs.

His smile, ghostly sad, but warm.

The way his hand had slipped effortlessly into hers.

Abruptly the world toppled and an iron grip wrapped around her. The air swished erratically through her messy hair and rhythmical pounding filled her ears like wind hitting a sail. Hitomi's jade eyes snapped open as a single word flew from her lips. "God?"

Everything stopped when she saw the brightest eyes studying her. She tried to speak, but her mouth flapped open soundlessly. Unconsciously, her hand timidly reached for his tan cheek. His eyes slid closed and she was pressed tighter against his naked chest.

"Van?" she choked.

His nose brushed her temple. Hot breath wafted over the rim of her ear as he hoarsely replied, "Don't ever do that again."

Hitomi's face slid into the crook of his neck. She wasn't sure if he meant leaving or trying to commit suicide. She sighed lightly, content to dream he was holding her. '_I guess Heaven is paradise.'_

"Hitomi?"

"Sh," she breathed, wrapping one hand around the back of his neck. "Don't make me wake up."

The world jarred her eyes open and she blinked in surprise to see the frozen river. When her feet touched the cold surface, she realized she had never left the real world. "What?"

"Hitomi." His rough voice whispered shakily. Her eyes were fixed on his anxious face.

"Van, what—"

Something white danced on the edge of her vision and involuntarily her green eyes darted towards it. She gasped in wonderment when she realized it was a pearly wing. Her unbidden feet stepped away from the tense man, his arms falling like dead weight. Hitomi never noticed this as she pressed the tip of her fingers uncertainly against the fluffy softness. The white appendage flinched upon the contact, but soon relaxed as she began to stroke it lovingly. It was softer than any cloud in the heavens.

"I dreamed of it being this soft," she whispered, tears filling her eyes. Her face whirled to his. "But how…"

Her question died on her lips when she saw he was hanging his head away from her. Her hand quietly curled away. "Van?"

He didn't respond to her gentle voice. Slowly she stepped towards him, carefully watching him. Reaching his shoulder, she gently pressed her palm to her cheek and pushed his eyes up to hers. His rubies dully stared at her chin, unable to bring them up any higher.

"Van," she whispered softly, eyes searching. "Are you a Mystic?"

His sad eyes met her, guilty. He opened his mouth, but couldn't will his voice to work. Quietly, his lips drifted close as he hung his head. A weak smile graced her lips as she tenderly pressed her forehead to his. He shuddered out a deep rush of air, his hands gripping her shoulders. His wings hastily swung around her, taking the cold brunt of the wind.

She swallowed desperately, "To think all this time…our connection was deeper than I dreamed."

"I should have told you sooner," he disconsolately whispered. "But I was a-afraid you would hate me."

His words got stuck in his throat and his chest heaved. Her lashes kissed his cheeks and stared up at him. "Why?"

"Because I am everything you worked towards and I did nothing to deserve it. Because my family left the valley. Because I am a coward." His own eyes fluttered open, revealing a lack of confident she didn't know he could express. His hot chest hit hers with each thump of his racing heart. "My mother had come from your valley. She married my father and together they kept her heritage a secret. Only a select few knew, including our advisors.

"Just think of how my people reacted to you. If they had known about my wings, then everything would fall apart."

"Did she have wings, too?" Hitomi breathed eagerly.

"Yes." He replied dully. "She was born with them."

Her eyes slid close, her heart glowing like a thousand suns. "It's finally happened. After so many years, He's finally smiled down on us."

"When I was sick, I thought my illness was connected to my people back in the valley," he continued weakly. "I figured my hope laid there.

"You were everything my mother had abandoned. I was both excited and terrified. I had wanted to find out more about them for so long and then here you were.

"I didn't know what you would think. I spent so long holding it in…"

His eyes grew distant. "M-My mother made me promise when I was very young to never show them to anyone. Said that they were a curse and a blessing."

Hitomi listened intently. This was what she had fought so hard for these two months. He was finally allowing his emotions to be voiced and her heart clenched with each expressive note he spoke.

"That doesn't matter now," she soothed.

"But I want you to understand!" he persisted, eyes back at her. "Everything went so fast. I almost showed them to you in the garden when I was half delirious.

"Do you know what it's like?" he mumbled, searching her eyes. "To live two lives. One you dream about and the other you drag through each day."

She thought back to her youth as a child when she was trying to hide the truth about herself to her family. Hitomi nodded dumbly.

His eyes darkened. "That's what I've done all my life since my parents died. I tried to live as if I was completely different person. I never showed fear or worry or even truth.

"When you kept begging me to let someone in, let you in, I couldn't let myself let go of my m-mask as it were because I would be failing everyone around me.

"I wasn't ready." He added sorrowfully. "I thought about revealing myself so many times to my people. To see if they could accept their only royal for who he was, but Balgus told me I would bring a civil war upon my kingdom, or worse a mutiny against the castle."

"I don't understand what this has to do with me?" Hitomi prodded gently. "I'm a Mystic. You're a Mystic."

"I-I couldn't trust you…" he whispered brokenly, "I was so afraid for my kingdom I couldn't risk my people for the chance to connect with a past my mother had buried."

Hitomi quietly debated his answer. "I wish you still had told me."

He swallowed thickly. "So do I."

She smiled sadly, rubbing his cheek tenderly with the pad of her thumb.

"Don't leave, Hitomi." He begged. His voice was hoarse from the cold.

She stared at him in dread. "I have to. Everything will be ruined if I stay."

"You don't know that!" He growled, pulling her closer as if terrified she would disappear. "This could all be some wild rant of some man's lunacy. This whole thing could be one big farce."

"And my dreams?" She questioned dryly. "Are they also just a farce?"

His jaw tightened. "Hitomi—"

"I'm a seer." She said in a strong voice. "I spend my life trying to predict and fight destiny. You can't tell me my visions won't amount to anything."

"You don't know how it will happen though." He replied hotly, growing frustrated with her. "For all you know leaving will cause this."

"I have to try."

He exhaled loudly, turning his face away. She watched him warily. The wind rushed past his face, flinging up his dark bangs. His brooding profile stayed distant for several minutes before looking to her. "Have you ever been able to stop a vision?"

Her eyes lowered. "No."

The answer was cold and bitter. She had tried countless times to stop destiny's wheel from turning. It was frustrating to a gift to predict, but not have the ability to do anything about it.

"Then come back."

She snapped her face upwards. His fiery eyes stared deeply into hers. "If we can't change it, than let's stand together."

"Together?" she mumbled, unsure, but hopeful.

He nodded, leaning towards her. "I can't do this without you."

Something twisted deliciously in her gut. Her chin instinctively rose to meet him.

"I'll never let you go." He promised huskily, his lips only a breath away.

As she stood there, staring into an eternal promise, she felt a sudden sense of belonging. If time was rewound to the day the soldiers came and she was given the same choice knowing what that meant fulfilling her death and the prophecy, she would still come to Fanelia.

Hitomi smiled and hastily closed the gap between them. One powerful heartbeat later, the pendant became hot against her chest and a blue pillar of light shot down from the clouds. The pair broke apart in surprise as startling warmth enveloped them and their feet lost touch of the ground. Van's arms tighten protectively around the young seer. Hitomi calmly stared up at the heavens, looking for the familiar white light of her guide. There was a disorienting flash and then suddenly they feet hit stone. Glancing around, they realize they were back in her room with three pair of eyes staring at them in total shock.

Hitomi awkwardly stepped a few feet out of the king's grip and felt the world shift beneath her. When she crumbled, she was immediately in his safe arms. Reality had caught up with her again. Millernia shuffled forward, eyes constantly darting up to the immaculate wings arching from her friend's back. Merle sorrowfully looked to her brother, obviously always having known. Dryden simply nodded, excitedly muttering things.

Hitomi kept her focus on his face, fighting the blackness that was edging on her vision. She had returned to world of secret battles and dark politics. She had returned to a castle of war.

* * *

..

A smile slipped over his face. Chuckling softly, Dornkirk hunched over his notes and scribbled several figures in the middle of numerous calculations. "Everything is exactly how it should be. Soon she will come to me."

* * *

..

_**A/N: For anyone who read this as soon as this chapter was posted and reread it to find a few added passage, let me just say "No, you didn't skip anything. I had a comment about Hitomi/Van's conversation about being a little unbelievable. I agreed so I went back and edited a little. Hope no one kills me.**_


	18. Chapter 18

**_A/N: I apologize for the wait. I've been super busy with Thanksgivings and work. To make matters worse, it was like pulling teeth to get this chapter out. Hope I didn't fall short of your anticipation. As always, enjoy._  
**

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**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

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**Chapter 18**

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Slowly the High Priest strode inside. His perfect white robe covered with silver and gold dragons demanding the same authority of a king's crown. The dark circles under his eyes however threw off the intimidating atmosphere his clothes produced. The eighty-year-old man reached the spot before the throne, leaning heavily on his golden staff of a dragon's head.

The walls of faces shifted anxiously, their eyes eagerly watching the man who held the answers to their problems. There were so many questions hovering over their heads like dark clouds of a coming storm. It was overwhelming to the men and women who had always had such control in their lives. They were desperate for direction.

The High Priest knew this as he faced the swarm. He had never dream of the day when he would have to answer to more than the royal family of Fanelia. His hands were clammy, but his mind was at ease. The God of the sky had spoken to him during his meditation.

Hitomi hung at the edge of the throne's platform beside Merle. Her eyes were intently set on the High Priest. Everything lied at this man's feet. The thought was nerve wracking. In the valley, the temple had similar authority over the villages' ruler. The Elders consulted the gifts of the Mystics to find the Favored, the ruler of the Atlantis and of all the villages. Until this past week, however, she had never considered the dangers of religious power. The Elders and the High Priest could point to anyone to be leader, and if they were evil of mind they had the influence to place a puppet in the seat of power. She had prayed feverishly all night that the High Priest was not a man of individual pursuit.

Her face pivoted to see the Emperor of Zaibach. He wasn't hard to spot with his dark sentinels (save one) crowding his wheeled chair. The old man appeared unaffected by the tension surrounding him. His eyes were hard, but they were lacking the anxiety the rest of the room's occupants held.

Unexpectedly, his eyes snapped to her. Hitomi became rigid, but didn't duck her eyes. _'I will not cower.'_

His bushy mustache twitched higher in one corner as he stared deep into her stormy expression. The seer flexed her fingers, eager to challenge the man. She knew an outright challenge was suicide against such a powerful Mystic, especially with the condition she was in, but she was frustrated with the way he was slinking his darkness through the castle. He was the source of these problems and not one noble outside her circle of friends noticed him. The emperor gave her a slight nod of the head before returning his concentration to a distant wall.

Her eyes narrowed. _'What will you do if Folken takes the throne from Van? More so, is Folken your puppet?'_

She glanced towards the closed doors where the Fanel Brothers waited behind. Her weight constantly shifted back and forth on her feet as she patiently waited for the handful of youthful pages to line up behind the priest. The room became silent like a grave once the last twelve-year-old boy reached his formal position. Every ear was tuned in to the priest, waiting for his aged voice to speak.

With regal attitude, the High Priest lifted his hand to the guards at the doors. The Fanelian soldiers nodded and proceeded to open the way for their king, whichever it may be.

Folken was still hidden under the black confines of his long cloak. He almost seemed to float into the room as he marched forward. His was longer than she remembered from her visions, but he was definitely the same man. The only difference in him that she could see was the coldness in his eyes and the invisible darkness that trailed behind his body.

Hitomi cringed. Her hopes for goodness in the man fell to the floor. Even if there was a chance Folken wasn't a pawn of Dornkirk's, the shadow clouding his presence definitely wasn't a sign of pureness.

Her heart skipped when noticed Van had been stripped of his royal garments. The years of reign were to be forgotten during the trial and had reduced the Fanelian royal to commoner's clothes: a simple sleeveless red shirt, cream pants, dark boots, and gloves. The only indication of his rich blood line was the sword with royal Fanelian crest at his waist.

Hitomi frowned and studied her love's face. Van's face beside his brothers was so dark that he might as well have been covered by his own dark cloud. Hitomi watched him nervously as he strode passed her, his face ever forward. She could only imagine what short words were exchanged moments before the doors had been open.

Their strides matched perfectly, almost unspoken evidence of their blood connection. They both looked the king they should be with their straight backs and fiery eyes. The clip of their boots rang in unison up until they reached the center of the throne room. With practiced grace, the brothers knelt down on scarlet pillows before the High Priest. Together they gave short bows of respects. Hitomi's heart stopped as she awaited the beginning of the end.

"Lord Van Fanel," the High Priest began with a worn tone. "Please hand me the sword of Fanel."

The young man rose immediately from his seat. His eyes were filled with unnamed emotions as he crossed the short distance to the elder and held out the last connection to his kingship. The High Priest nodded his thanks and gentle pulled the sword from his former king. Once the metal had slipped from his fingertips, Van whirled away and returned with the same graceful sweep to his knees beside his brother.

The High Priest studied the two brothers with a well of sadness in his eyes before speaking out. "In the three generations I have served as High Priest to the Fanelian crown, I have never seen nor heard of such a situation falling upon the kingdom. There is no law for this confusion and thus, I am left to the guide of Escaflowne. For the last few nights, I have fasted and prayed to the God of the Sky. My one prayer was for him to grant me divine revelation."

His eyes darted over the masses. "I have, thus, been granted with such a revelation."

Merle gripped the seer's arm as they both held their breath. The air must have emptied from the room.

The priest inhaled deeply, trying to rally his courage for the next words. He stared at the brothers and remembered the days of their youth. Those happy days when they had sat in the temple for their lessons in religion seemed so out of reach as he studied the invisible line drawn between the two siblings.

"Last night, Escaflowne came to me in a dream," the Priest stated loudly. "The God of the Sky graced me with the images of the Blood Rite."

Hitomi frowned. She had failed to learn about this in the library.

"For you have not heard of the Blood Rite, I shall explain." The Priest continued after noticing the confused expressions. "The Blood Rite is the rite of passage that each new king must successfully perform before ascending the throne.

"A prince must go into forest alone and hunt down a dragon. If Escaflowne favors the hunter then the prince shall be victorious. After killing a dragon, he must bring back the dragon's heart as proof and lay it on the altar with the mark of his own blood as an offering to Escaflowne.

His golden scepter leaned towards the raven headed noble. "Lord Van Fanel has performed the Blood Rite. If Folken hadn't left the kingdom years ago, then he would have had been given the opportunity to fulfill the Blood Rite, but sadly, he left in the hands of Zaibach and forfeited his chance."

A hopeful glow lit in Van's eyes while a stone dropped into Hitomi's stomach. She glanced towards Dornkirk and noticed the emperor whispering to one of his sentinels.

"Without a Blood Rite for payment, there can't be ascension," the High Priest stated firmly, sweeping his eyes over every face. "Folken you might now be able to perform the ritual, but Escaflowne has already shown favor on a prince. Van is the rightful king."

Whatever response erupted through the room was faint in her ears. She was dimly aware that there was a round of cheers from the Fanelian soldiers as she watched the Zaibach emperor nod to his sentinels. A dark haze stabbed through his temple for momentary flash. She saw Van's happy glance in her direction, but she ignored it and frantically whirled to her right. Merle stumbled against her.

"Hitomi?" the she-cat inquired.

The seer's chest heaved in panicked as she sensed the dark haze closing in around her. Jade eyes wide, she snapped her face to the ceiling. '_It's now.'_

Instantly, the room switched from cries of excitement to cries of fear. The glass from the windows shattered inwards as a large chunk of wall crumpled. Dust obscured the view, but Hitomi had no problem realizing a giant foot had landed inside the throne room. Everyone began racing in all directions, guards hurrying forward while nobles went for the exits. Hitomi remained stone still even though Merle persisted to tug at her arm.

The seer felt a ripple of power pass through the room and she swallowed against the nausea it caused. Her knee buckled, but she hurried to steady her balance using Merle's shoulder before she fell.

She heard her name, but its speaker was lost in the shouts and crashing as another wall collapsed. Clumps of ceiling fell all around like hail. Everything was a complete mess of chaos.

'_Chaos.'_

"What's happening?" Merle screeched, clutching desperately to the seer.

Hitomi raised her arm over her head to shield herself from the falling dust and stone. "Dornkirk is using the guymelefs to tear down the castle and scatter us."

"Guymelefs?" Merle shouted over the noise. "What guymelefs?"

Hitomi snapped her face to the she-cat, totally confused. The dust wasn't that thick to hide the giant feet stomping inside. Looking up, the seer concentrated on the guymelef's boots. It was mysteriously different from Zongi's curtain of magic, but it was definitely the same trick of bending light. She was surprised she could see them at all. With Zongi she had to be drawn into a vision to see beyond his mask.

_'What?'_

Something was approaching her left. It was Van, his mouth forming her name. Hitomi was about to stretch out her hand to him when black figures materialized on her left. She hurried to push Merle behind her as she faced the two sentinels. Ruby lips sneered, revealing fangs. "Our Lordship would prefer you didn't interfere."

Hitomi glared stonily at the pair, ready for whatever they had planned, when a third dark figure stepped in front of her within half a second. The seer blinked in surprise at the sentinel's back.

"You will not touch her." The third figure stated loudly. Hitomi immediately recognized the woman's voice.

"Celena?" She called out.

Abruptly a section of the ceiling decided to crash down. The seer hastily pushed her and Merle out of its path. She faintly heard Van calling for her, desperation lacing her name. They hit the floor, Hitomi's temple cracking against the hard stone.

Van scurried to escape another round of falling stone. Finding a break in the downpour, the young king frantically searched for the pair of girls. Everything was a mess of panic and disarray. Strange air currents pushed through the dust and new tremors shook through the castle. He could see faceless silhouettes racing about, but the scene was undistinguishable.

He heard Balgus ordering his soldiers to assist the nobles, but he wasn't sure where his friend was shouting from. His heart was trying to jump out of his chest. The cries were identical to the ones from long ago when the castle first fell. His home and family were in danger all over again. In the blink of eye, he was again a helpless child.

"Hitomi! Merle!" he shouted frantically, rushing into the thick clouds. "Hitomi! Merle!"

There was a rush of air to his left and the dust fell away to reveal a sunken crater in the floor. His feet slowed to halt as he stared at the oddity. The crater was void of any object that could have caused its depression. Even more disturbing was the fact that the crater was similar to those from a battlefield.

As his mind hurried towards an answer another blast of air pass on his opposing side followed by a loud crack. The king whirled on the noise and discovered an identical crater. Above him the ceiling exploded and crashed towards him. He intended to race out of the way, but the sight of downpour deterred by an invisible wall stopped him. His eyes squinted. _'An invisible enemy?'_

The idea wasn't impossible, and probably the only solution to his confused brain.

"Lord Van!"

The king turned to his approaching general, jaw tight. His general frowned in confusion at his king's expression.

"Call out the guymelefs!" The king shouted, looking back at the footprints leading into his throne room. "We're being attacked by an invisible enemy!"

"My lord?"

* * *

..

Blinking rapidly, Hitomi tired to look beyond the darkness that surrounded her. She could make out a few shapes and breaks of light, but she didn't recognize where she was. She groaned softly as her head swayed and the dust filled her nostrils, causing her to cough. Her body ached all over.

Carefully, her hand spanned out over the rough floor and slid forward. Her fingers curiously felt over the chunks of rock and pebbles. Soon the tips of her fingers grazed a larger chunk of stone. Passing her hand over the rough surface of the wall, the seer's throat went dry. Hitomi pressed her cheek weakly against the floor and tried to swallow. They were buried.

Suddenly noticing the lump pressed against her side, Hitomi became awake.

"Merle?" the seer whispered gently, unsure was she was talking so quiet. When she got no response, the young woman began to grapple for the cat's shoulders. "Merle?"

A soft moan finally reached her ears, pulling out a deep exhale from the seer. There was unsteady movement under her hands and then the blink of eyes in the dark.

"Hitomi?" her voice trembled. "W-Where are we?"

"Some of the ceiling collapsed over us." The seer replied hoarsely. "We're lucky to be alive."

"You're bleeding!"

Hitomi started. "What?"

She felt a small hand cover her temple, bringing stars to the seer's eyes. Hitomi hastily pushed her hand away.

"Ow." She mumbled as she tenderly pressed her fingertips to the painful spot. The wet feeling had to be blood. Weakly, she looked towards the shining cat eyes. "Can you see?"

"Little bit." Merle admitted softly. "I wouldn't be a good cat if it I couldn't."

"Do you see a way out?" the seer questioned eagerly, forgetting her head wound.

The eyes darted from sight. "There's nothing at our feet, but there's a narrow opening ahead. We might be able to slip through it and find a way out that way."

"Okay," Hitomi panted lightly, the throbbing in her head growing. "You lead. You have a better chance at finding it in the dark than I do."

A small pause. "You sure? I mean, you're bleeding. I don't want to leave you behind."

The seer forced out a smile. "Come on. I'll be right behind you. Besides, staying here isn't helping."

Merle sighed. "Okay."

* * *

..

Dornkirk chuckled darkly as his chair's wheels squeaked free from the castle walls. "Oh, so perfect."

His followers remained silent, but attentive to their lord's mutterings. The emperor sneered hungrily as they drifted into the wilted remains of the great gardens of the castle. His wrinkled hand waved ahead at the path and surprisingly, the snow melted away in seconds, revealing the stone.

"Everything is perfect."

* * *

..

Van's face darted from side to side. "Hitomi! Merle!"

"Lord Van, there is nothing you can do!"

"Hitomi!" the king shouted louder. "Merle!"  
A heavy hand yanked him around. Van glared at his general. "I won't leave them!"

"My lord, it is foolish to seek them in this mess." Balgus thundered over the clamoring of destruction. "We must withdraw from the throne room and lure them away. Only then can we search for the ladies and others."

Van angrily looked towards the clouds cloaking the room's contents. He faintly noticed his throne was on its side, bent and battered. Clamping his teeth together, the king pushed down the painful lump in his throat.

_'…let's stand together.'_

His spirit reached blindly out into the haze, seeking out the two women who meant the world to him.

_'I can't do this without you.'_

"I can't—"

The ring of steel broke through his voice.

* * *

..

"I found a way out!" Merle's muffle squeal was too far ahead.

Hitomi slid boneless against the floor, her panting breaths unsettling the layer of dust covering the stone. "Good…good…"

Her life force was spilling out over the stone. She knew it was because she had felt her knees and palms dragging through it for the last few minutes. She must have hit her head harder than she thought. Hitomi fought to steady her dizziness. To keep conscious, she concentrated on the cracks of light between the rubble and followed the maze of lines.

The pain proved relentlessly as another wave of needles pressed into her forehead. Groaning, she curled up into a ball.

"Hitomi?"

As she blinked to steady her vision, a whirl of images passed through her mind. Her mind's eyes flew like a hawk through the castle halls. Guymelefs, soldiers, and broken walls passed away, revealing an expanding landscape of whiteness. She flew over the snow, crossing the dead garden and fields to the ghostly temple. There wasn't a moment to appreciate the building's quiet splendor as she was surged inside and found the dark eyes of Zaibach emperor. Before she could gasp his name, she was pulled into the air and saw a familiar star drawn around his feet.

An unnatural light enveloped the charcoal lines and a magic filled the air. In seconds, all she could see was a never ending whiteness. Everything was wonderfully hot around her, coaxing down her limbs like a massage. She almost sighed in contentment. She was quickly jerked to a halt, however, when the pearly vastness shift before her and a pair of huge, evergreen eyes snapped open in the middle of sky. The intense stare was firmly planted on her.

Hitomi jerked back to reality, finding the whiteness replaced with darkness in a quick blink. She could hear Merle shuffling closer to her. "Hitomi?"

The seer didn't answer automatically, waiting for her mind to catch up with what she had seen.

"Dornkirk is in the temple," Hitomi stated fervently. "He's going to awaken Escaflowne."

There was a sharp intake of air. "What?"

"Get me out of here, Merle!" Hitomi insisted, forcing her limbs to drag her forward. "I have to go and stop him."

"But Hitomi!" The she-cat's voice cried out through the darkness. "You're not strong enough to face him. Let Van-sama handle him!"

"Van can't!" the seer grounded out through clenched teeth as she struggled against the ache in her limbs and the stab through her temples. "I'm the only one who can."

The memory of her cards, her visions, and the prophecy flashed a warning through her mind, but she angrily pushed them back. What other choice did she have?

_'…stand together.'_

Her heart constricted.

_'…together.'_

Her lips involuntarily mouthed a short name. Abruptly, there was loud sound of stone grating against each other over their heads. Hitomi instinctively covered Merle's body with her own and silently prayed. Dust and chunks of rock floated over their stiff forms as they awaited the expected collapse of their tunnel.

Hitomi lifted her head when she sensed a wave of energy pass through their tunnel. Her arms pulled the girl protectively closer to her side as she realized the outside noise was growing louder. A chunk of wall broke away and light blinded her. Squinted against the sudden brightness, she made out a messy head and broad shoulders.

_'Van?'_

A hand pressed against the side of the opening and new wave of energy raced along the stone. The magic slid into the cracks, filling the gaps and strengthening the ceiling's support. Hitomi was lost in wonderment and apprehension. _'That's not Van.'_

"Hurry and get out!" A strong voice commanded, his echo bouncing through the tunnel.

Regardless if the person was enemy or friend, the seer hurried to push the cat-girl towards the opening. Hitomi anxiously glanced at the trembling walls as she waited for her turn to escape. Once Merle was clear, a gloved hand uncurled before the seer's face. Hitomi scowled at the dusty leather, torn between unanticipated indecision. The gesture was one of innocent, but the body attached to the hand was likely untrustworthy. She was almost certain the second she reached for it, the hand would transform into a viper and sink poisonous fangs into her.

"Hurry!" the man snapped, his hand shaking closer.

The walls shuddered overhead reawaking the fear in her blood. Hitomi scrambled to grab the gloved hand. When her fingers slipped around the smooth leather, a spark of electricity raced down her arm. She didn't have time to consider the odd sensation as she was hauled out of the tunnel and into the fresh air. As feet slipped out, the tunnel immediately collapsed into a suffocating cloud.

Hitomi trembled when she faced the broken pile. She could almost feel her bones being crushed beneath the heavy slabs. A giddy bubble of happiness filled her chest when she reminded herself she was very much alive. The seer whirled around with a grateful smile, only to loose it the instant she discovered the identity of their savior. She tried to pull her hand back, but his grip was insistent.

"Let go," she demanded softly as she continued to futilely tug for freedom.

Eyes the identical red wine color of the Fanelian King's eyes stared back at her, ignoring the massive destruction still ensuing around them. "I need your help."

"So do a lot of other people." She fidgeted while using her free hand to shove the cat-girl behind her. "I'd like to thank you for saving us, but I hate to give my gratitude if you rescued us merely for your own gain."

A wry smile. "I would have saved you even if I didn't need you."

The seer wasn't convinced, "I'm not a pawn."

"Dornkirk wouldn't see it that way."

"Are you asking for my help in Dornkirk's stead?"

"No, just I." Folken replied lightly.

This time he released her wrist. Hitomi possessively pressed it to her chest, eyeing him with suspicion. This man was the wild card in the deck. He was either a puppet or a victim, and she had failed to decide on which personality he served. Even now, she couldn't decide if he was lying to her about his request.

"I'm sorry," she answered, "But I'm needed elsewhere—"

"Balgus!"

Hitomi whirled in the direction of the cry, instantly recognizing the voice. _'Van.'_

There was a break in the dust, revealing a shaft of light. The small particles floated angelically down the ray of sunlight, glinting like tiny stars. If it wasn't for the dark red spraying across the floor, the scene would have been picturesque.

The world reeled beneath her feet as she watched the general crumbled to the ground. Her mouth flapped open, wordless.

"Balgus!" the Fanelian king repeated brokenly, falling to his knees beside his friend and guardian. A giant sword was hovering over the royal's head. The hilt was invisible behind the concealing magic. The blade looked like it was slicing an opening in the air, revealing a hidden world. With her gift, however, she was vividly aware that it was a guymelef looming over the two men.

Without taking a chance to consider herself, the seer rushed for the Fanelian king. She had barely made two strides when a cold hand snagged her wrist and spun her around. Folken stared over her head, hard eyes clouded.

"Don't." He commanded sternly, his fingers tightening when tried to pull away.

She whipped head back towards the fallen figure, her hair slapping her cheeks. "B-But he—"

"You can see them." He interrupted. His tone carried a steely edge, almost crossing the line into a deeper emotion. "The guymelefs? Don't you?"

Hitomi struggled harder against his grip when the gray guymelef with the purple cape stepped closer towards the king. She needed to protect him from what he didn't see.

"Stop." He demanded.

Hitomi's glare was full of fire at the blue-haired man she knew only from talk and visions. There wasn't nothing to bind her to him, nothing to make her listen to a single command he uttered. Her efforts doubled when she felt the conflicting urge to listen to the royal sibling.

"They will take care of my brother." Folken replied evenly, still watching the young, anguished king.

Hitomi suddenly noticed the Fanelian soldiers rushing to Van. The image of her love's broken display with the bloody man at his knees sent a crushing blow straight into her heart. As they surrounded the royal in a protective circle, she realized she was allowing Folken to pull her towards the nearest door. Her senses rallied together immediately and she fought again for her freedom.

"Release me at once!" she cried, waving at Merle to keep back. Hitomi didn't want to risk Folken taking her captive as well. Merle followed behind showing no sign of deserting her anytime soon.

"I will once we are away from their reach." He replied mildly. They passed through an arch with the door hanging off the hinges.

"Away from who?" she rumbled angrily. "The guymelefs? Or the soldiers?"

Turning into a nearby corridor, the man released her imprisoned wrist and slipped his gloved hand back under the confines of his dark robe. Hitomi quickly put some distance between him and her. She studied him curiously, wondering what he felt after seeing his brother weep over his foster father. Was he upset? Pleased?

"Do you want to stop Dornkirk?" he abruptly inquired, dodging her questions.

Hitomi stiffened. Searching his eyes, she inwardly wished she could see beyond the mask of people. "Yes."

"So do I." He stated evenly, looking straight into her wide eyes. Hitomi unconsciously leaned forward. She wanted to believe him, to believe she could rethread the pieces of Van's broken life together starting with his forsaken brother. Was that why she wanted to believe him? So she was so desperate to bring some type of happiness back to Van's life?

She shook her head and stepped away. She used to be a rational person, who believed in nothing of what she heard and only half of what she saw. She could throw out everything for the mere chance Folken could change the darkness threatening to swallow up the castle.

She sensed Merle approach her shoulder and Hitomi instinctively found her hand. Looking pointedly at the expressionless man, the seer asked icily, "Why should I believe you?"

"Because I can tell you what he's planning," he replied softly, his tone almost soothing. Hitomi's eyes narrowed, watching the inky blackness she had spotted earlier when he entered the throne room swirl over his form. She swallowed nervously.

"Tell my you wish to stop him." She commanded.

He hesitated. "There's no time."

"If you don't tell me, it doesn't matter how much time is left. I won't help you." She grumbled.

He sighed through his nose, eyes darting to the girl cowering behind her. He hastily whipped out hands. She frowned in confusion as he began to tug off one of his leather gloves. Her eyes slowly widened at what she saw. The glove slapped loudly onto the stone floor as the man raised his hand for better inspection. She was still disoriented from all that had just transpired in the throne room, but she could blink away what she saw. His hand was virtually transparent. If he brought it to her face, she could have seen straight into his eyes. There was only a faint visible line of a silhouette and a pink hue clouding the space where his hand should be. Gaping at the sight of his ghostly hand, the seer looked to the sibling for an answer.

Folken stared at her grimly. "I lost this, years ago when I gave myself to Dornkirk as price for kingdom. I sealed away my soul. It has taken time, but I am finally ready to take back everything he stole from me."

Hitomi's jaw slid close as she studied the hand a second time. There was so much left unsaid and unexplained. She had a dozen questions shouting off through her head, but she clenched her mouth close. She nodded stiffly to man.

Folken's hand hurried to duck back behind his cloak, probably unused to the attention she was given. "Dornkirk has gone to the Temple. He plans to call on Escaflowne."

Her heart leapt into her throat as her vision replayed through her head. The bright green eyes at the end brought a cold dread in the pit of her stomach.

Her throat was dry as she tried to speak, "What does he think will happen? That a God will just materialize before his eyes? Does he even have that type of power to call on Escaflowne?"

The silence was all she needed for an answer.

She shuddered, stepping back as her thoughts spun out of control. Everything was falling into place. Too fast. Too wild. She tried to think of a course of action, something beyond going to the Temple.

"Please, Hitomi."

His voice. It sounded exactly like Van's when he said her name. She licked her chapped lips and looked down at floor, her eyes blindly focusing on the discarded glove. A dark shadow of foreshadowing drifting across her heart and she knew whatever happened in that Temple, she would have to face the consequences. She gave a short nod to the Zaibach soldier, never looking away from the leather.

A small hand tightened over hers and Hitomi blinked up at Merle's worried face.

"No, Hitomi." She pleaded softly, ears drooping. "Don't go."

The seer smiled bitterly. "You can't come with me, Merle."

"No!" she insisted loudly, gripping tighter. "What if you accidentally cause Escaflowne to rise? What if you get hurt?"

Hitomi shook her head and gently began to pull away the fingers digging into her arm, quietly overlooking how her claws had drawn blood.

"I will not let prophecy and visions decide my life." She stated numbly, her eyes glazed with tears. "All my life I have lived by them, letting them decide my path. Even when so much rest on these next few hours, I feel a need to listen to them, but if I want to change the future, then I must believe there is no such thing as predetermined fate."

Merle's eyes were filled with confusion as Hitomi tenderly pushed her small hands away. Several tears slid down the seer's face as her lips thinned. "I will not believe the God of my people has forsaken this world. I believe I am here to fulfill a purpose—a purpose I must choose to follow."

"I don't understand." Merle mumbled feebly.

Hitomi chuckled softly. "Honestly, I don't either. Not completely, anyway. I think God has given me this gift to stop things from leading onto the wrong path. He has given me the choice to stop it."

"But you said you never could stop it before." Merle cried.

"That's true." Hitomi replied lightly. "But that is because I believe there was nothing I could do to stop it. I never allowed myself to trust that people, including myself, could do more than fail."

Her eyes shifted towards some unseen point beyond the girl's head.

"His wings…" The seer muttered. "Van's wings shows that fate can change. Our people are not cursed as so many think."

She grimaced. "I had wanted Van to be with me, but I guess its better I did this alone. He doesn't have any gift to help me stop Dornkirk."

The she-cat hastily leaned forward. "Hitomi—"

"Please, Merle," the seer interrupted, eyes filling with new tears. "There's nothing you can do. Just please Van that I'm sorry."

Folken was already waiting a few feet away in the direction of the needed exit as Hitomi calmly turned away. Merle tentatively went to follow, but soon stopped as Hitomi gave her a wistful smile. Her tail was limp on the floor as she watched the seer head off into what the she-cat believed was the end of the world.

* * *

**_A/N: I can't believe this story is nearly over. Wow. Two chapters left before I close the cover.  
_**


	19. Chapter 19

**_A/N: Sorry for this being later and full of bad grammar. I have had limited access to a computer these last week & a half due to the fact that I am moving to a new apartment & been working doubles. Sorry. Enjoy._

* * *

**

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

**..

* * *

**

**Chapter 19

* * *

..**

Together they stepped out into the cold air, matching stride for stride. Neither led nor followed. Instead, they made their way down the stone paths through the wilted garden as partners in crime. Each of them was heading for the same destination with the same goal, but their motives were dramatically different. Even so, they would help each other in this dire battle. Otherwise, all chances of success would disappear.

She had to believe in the man. She had to believe in herself. There was no room for fear or doubt where she was going. She needed to be confident that going into the temple wasn't the biggest mistake of her life.

_'Lord, I seek you now more than ever. Give me the strength to undo the darkness plaguing this kingdom. Place your hand over me and protect me from my enemies. Help me save this world.'_

To her distinct irritation, a loud explosion broke through the last words of her prayer, startling her into a standstill at the edge of the garden. Whirling back towards the castle, she spotted several _visible_ guymelefs marching towards the castle.

"Finally…" she mumbled. The Fanelian guards had rounded up to attack. She had nearly returned to the path when larger movement caught her attention. A smile burst across her face when she saw the other countries lending their own guymelefs to help. The banners were a stark colors waved vividly across the gray sky. "Thank G-God…"

Her words trailed off when one of the Austurian soldiers struck down a Fanelian guymelef. "What…"

Another guymelef, a Bosrom, attacked a melef of Freid. Hitomi couldn't believe her eyes.

"What are they doing?" she cried, taking a subconscious step back towards the castle. "Why are they fighting each other?"

"They do not see the Zaibach flags, Lady Hitomi."

"Huh?" she gaped, looking back at the man. He was stiff as he watched the messy battle. He had swiveled slightly towards the castle, but his body mostly remained forward, pressing the need to keep moving. She frowned angrily and snapped back to the scene. "But why fight one another?"

"Fear." He stated harshly. "It is a controlling factor of men. Fear of the unknown is something in all men's heart. It makes them panic. They ignore the very people they trample over foot because they can only think of their own survival."

"So they're fighting because they are too scared to think?" she gripped as she watched a guymelef thrown through a chunk of the castle. "Those foolish—"

"We must hurry, Lady Hitomi." The man proclaimed, turning away.

The seer whirled in astonishment. "But what about them? Shouldn't we stop them?"

He sighed loudly and glanced over his shoulder. "What would you do? Try to stop each individual soldier? Even if you went to one, they are piloting giants and it would be likely you would be killed before your voice was ever heard."

"But…" she insisted feebly.

"Any hope of helping them lies in stopping Dornkirk." He stated firmly. Folken was being very patient with her, but his body language told the seer he didn't have much left to deal with her. "You can do nothing for them."

She glanced to the melefs than back to the blue-haired prince. Her heart sunk. He was right. Nodding grimly, she turned back onto their original path.

* * *

..

He didn't want to call it a flashback of history. No, it made it sound too cliché and hopeless. Even with his blood pumping out quicker than he could swallow air, he had faith in his king. As long as he lived, Fanelia had a future. Just as it did years ago.

Balgus grabbed blindly for the boy's collar with a red splattered glove. His sight must have been lost because he felt a hand clutch his, but he could not find a face to connect it with.

"My Lord," he gurgled, his mouth full of blood and bile. "You must rally the men or else they will be scattered and picked off."

"No, Balgus—" He could hear the fear in his lord's tone. He knew it was terrible time to die, to leave his student, but there was no energy left in him to fight against the calmness settling into his body.

"Please, Van-sama." He interrupted weakly, spitting out blood. "There is still a chance to save this kingdom from being torn apart, but only a king can lead them."

He wondered if he heard him. His voice sounded so faint.

"Save them." His body hitched on a painful wave and life still in his throat a single breath after. "Save her."

His hand went slack in the king's glove hand. Van sucked in a deep breath as his mentor's face lolled to the side. Everything around him grew mute as he stared at the person who had guided him throughout the years of darkness and heartache. His confidence was abruptly snatched from his heart when the young ruler realized he would have to do this alone.

Everything was tumbling in one great disoriented mass as his teeth clenched together. When had the world spun so out of control? What small detail had he overlooked that could have prevented all of this? Surely, he had missed something.

"My lord you must come with us!"

How was he to fix this? He had done it once before, but did trust himself to have enough strength to do it a second time. More so, he didn't trust he had the power to save it. Everything was tumbling out of control. Or had he already lost his reigns over the castle?

He was only half-aware of the hands dragging him away. His eyes stayed on his foster father's pale face until he was pulled through a doorway and a treacherous wall blocked his view. The heavy door banged shut, blanketing the crashing and screams behind its thick body. He blinked into the presence, his men's voices slowly registering in his ears.

"My lord!"

"All is lost!"

"My lord, please!"

"What shall we do?"

The wheels in his head began to turn as he saw the distraught faces surrounding him. His grief would momentarily have to be pushed aside to save his people. Or else he would have more bodies to grieve over. Even if he wanted to disappear into his grief, he could not ignore the fleshy bodies crowding him.

"Enough!" he shouted, jerking around. He immediately pulled into the tallest pose his body allowed as his handful of soldiers froze into silence. Even if he was covered in blood, dust, and still wore the clothes of commoners, he portrayed authority with the same passion his men had ever witnessed. They waited eagerly for his direction.

Van looked squarely at each man in turn. "I will not stand aside and wait to die. I am a King of Fanelia."

Since his sword had been left in the hands of the Head Priest and forgotten in the fray, Van reached towards the nearest soldier and yanked out the man's sword. Pulling the flat of the blade to his face, he rumbled stonily, "I have a responsibility to the people of this kingdom, and because of such I shall fight until the last breathe in my lungs is spent.

"When you took up the armor of this kingdom you took up the responsibility as I to protect the citizens of Fanelia." He gradually rotated, letting every face take in his determined expression. He could feel the tension setting in, the thrum of blood pumping through them. His grip tightened when he saw light sparkled once more in their eyes. The panic was leaking away from their courageous hearts.

"Follow me," He stated heatedly. He brought the sword over his head like a flag in battle. "Follow me like you have done before. Lean me your swords once more."

Chests heaved with excitement, the taste of sweat heavy on their tongues. Cries of agreement flowed through the group. Van smiled grimly as an unchecked tear slid down his face. "For Fanelia!"

_'Together…'_

"For Fanelia!" the soldiers shouted in unison as their sword rang out of their sheaths and joined their king's. Van shuddered with tumbling emotions as he saw the blades thrust up into the air, his heart stolen by some unknown devil. Even though his words had been full of passion, he felt no hope blossoming in his chest. There was only cold acceptance for their fate. His mind wanted to believe there was hope for, but his heart was unable to lift itself again from the rubble. It had endured too much, too long.

_'I'm alone…'_

Even with the shouts and the eager faces watching him, the young king felt divided from his soldiers. They would follow him into the pits of Hell, but they had never known their king's heart. They would lend their swords, but they didn't realize they were leaning on his shoulders instead of him leaning on theirs.

_'I'm always alone…'_

"Van-sama!"

A flicker of fire sputtered in his chest at the sound of the small, familiar voice. His eyes frantically sought out the speaker and easily spotted the bouncing patch of pink heading in his direction. "Merle?"

She was covering in dirt and dust, her clothes ripped in more places than one showing how lucky she had been to survive the avalanche of stone. Her hair was matted to her forehead, sweat dribbling down her face, even though the cold from outside had seeped into the halls. Her eyes were bright with panic as she lunged into his arms. "Van-sama, you have to stop her!"

"Huh?" he asked stupidly.

"Hitomi!" she cried loudly, her fingers digging painfully into his forearms. "She went with Folken to stop Dornkirk!"

"What?" he exclaimed, caught between joy and distraught. There was joy to hear the seer was alive and distraught to hear she had blindly gone into lion's den with a viper. He had to stop her.

Yet, before he could even ask what direction he should head in, his soldiers parted to reveal three men full dressed in battle armor. Van waited patiently for their approach, recognizing the figures as his remaining generals. Markus, a bearded man wearing fire red armor, nodded to his king. "My lord, every representative has called on their available guymelefs. There are hardly enough between the countries to match our army, but with this invisible enemy were unable to execute a proper defensive strategy."

"What has been done?" Van inquired automatically.

"All available guymelefs have been boarded and attempting to make their way to the castle to stop the unknown enemy, but the countries are making it difficult. Every guymelef out there is lashing out at anyone who doesn't bear their emblem. It's a dog fight out there." The general grumbled in frustration.

Van nodded, eyes off to side. "That was their plan…to scare everyone into a fight. But for what? To destroy the treaty? To kill all the rulers? Or they just after Fanelia?"

"My lord, no matter why for this chaos we must defend the castle and you, first and foremost."

"My people are first," Van immediately replied. "They are the priority. A castle can be rebuilt, but not the dead. I want the army to focus on protecting the homes of Fanelia. Pick off the guymelefs, but I want no pilot of the treaty killed. This invisible enemy, however, is fair game."

"My Lord I request you take refuge in the cliffs with a small party of soldiers. If you should die in battle—"

"I will not hide while my people lay in danger!" Van answered hotly.

"But you cannot lead a people if you are dead, Van." The young king swung around as the princess of Austuria followed by her special bodyguard stepped out of the soldiers.

Van's face brightened. "Millernia, I'm glad to see you and Allen are alright."

"Same here," she replied wearily. "Van, it's best that you let your general handle this situation."

The king scowled. "I would never have thought you would tell me to hide, Millernia. You and I have always shared a similar concern to the citizens of our countries."

"But I am a royal daughter of three children," she answered firmly. "I do not have the responsibility you bear."

Her blue eyes softened with sorrow. "I know you want to be out there fighting, but Van, what will happen if you die?"

Van's mouth flapped closed. His heart thudded painfully against his chest as he sucked in a frustrated breath of air. What would happen if he died? Without an heir, a kingdom went to the next immediate family member, but the castle would fall before anyone would be able to arrive. The kingdom would go under the control of this battle's victor—no, there was a relative. Van's eyes widened as his heart stopped. _'Folken!'_

The king whirled and grabbed his foster-sister's startled form. Merle blinked rapidly in surprise as her brother's nose came inches away from her face.

"Merle, where did Hitomi go?" he asked evenly.

The she-cat stumbled for an answer, "Um, the temple. She went to the temple!"

He straightened and looked to his generals, "Take the men and defend the city. I shall go with Merle, Millernia, and her bodyguard to the cliffs."

Markus hastily pounded his arm across his chest, "Yes, my lord."

With a loud shout, he and the rest of the men poured out of the room into the heavy sound of battle. Before the last man could leave, Van headed off to another door, one that was concealed behind a woven tapestry. Pushing open the block of stone, he revealed a narrow passageway that led beneath the feet of Fanelia. Van waved his hand at the entrance, "Inside."

No one moved. Millernia gave him a pointed look, "You're going to the temple."

The king glanced at the others and realized they had already surmised the same.

"Yes," he stated hastily, waving again. "Now hurry to the cliffs. You have a better chance surviving this if you hide."

"Van—"

"Hitomi is going face Dornkirk," he blurted, quieting the princess's retort. Van stared straight into his childhood friend's face. "Folken must be leading her into a trap."

His chest heaved, "Besides, Dornkirk is the key to all this. Only Zaibach would plan this mess!"

"My lord," Allen suddenly stepped in, his voice ever cool and calm. "What do you plan to do? From what Hitomi has spoken about the man, I don't think this will be a fight won by a sword."

The king's face became shadowed, determination visible in his features. "I know, but I will not let her go to die."

Merle unconsciously tightened her grip on her brother's arm. The knight grimly nodded. "I will go with you."

The king shook his head. "Thank you my friend, but your first priority is to Millernia. Watch over her and Merle."

Allen glanced to his princess, ducking his eyes in shame for forgetting his place. He had always been a man to see the bigger picture beyond the regulations of his position. Might be the reason he had never become a general. Bringing his face back up to the king, he tugged a long item from his side. Van stared in surprise at the royal crest of Fanelia held up to his face. The knight smirked. "Even if a sword might be useless where you go, a king still needs his blade."

The king grinned and lightly took back his sword. "Thank you."

_'I shall save them, Balgus. I shall save her.'_

* * *

..

Reaching the doors of the temple, Hitomi wasn't surprise to find the doors firmly locked. She stared up the length of the stone plane with a small sigh. "What do you suggest we do?"

"Let me," Folken replied evenly. Stepping forward, the man placed his transparent palm against the cold door. Hitomi's face pinched with curiosity as she watched. Her eyes immediately noticed the wave of energy expelling out of his fingers across the white surface, exactly back when he had saved her from under the collapsed roof. As she waited, she wondered if his magic was connected to his Mystic blood or his involvement with Zaibach. Before she could decide, she heard a steady groan lift and the doors lazily swung open.

"Quite helpful," she commented lightly as she walked inside. "Must remember you if I ever lock myself out of my room."

She snapped her head to side when she thought she heard the prince chuckle. Seeing only a blank face, she brought her attention back to sanctuary. She frowned when she saw it was empty. Even if the room was spotless, she could still see the emperor's dark magic crawling across the floor and walls, tainting the holy place. She coughed lightly on the stench filling the air. There was no incense burning today, only the festering odor of his dark magic clinging throughout the building. "Wait a minute."

Abruptly, the doors slammed shut behind them and the duo snapped around in surprise. Two sentinels stood directly in front of the exit, faces unexpressive beneath their hoods. The blackness clung to their forms just like the night she had gone to the emperor's room.

"Perfect."

Hitomi slowly turned towards the sound of the emperor's rough voice and found him standing magically in the center of the sanctuary which had seconds before been empty. There was no sign of his chair.

"I knew you would come," he drawled. "And you brought my traitor. I was wondering how my loose ends would be tied back into place."

Hitomi noticed the last two sentinels solidifying from the shadows beyond the emperor. They leisurely made their way closer to the emperor. The seer inhaled deeply and took a steady step towards her adversary, the blackness hissing and rolling away from her. "If you knew I was coming, then you know why I've come."

He nodded with a giddy smile. "You've come to stop me."

She took another step, her heart racing.

"But what do you plan to do?" he inquired innocently, unfazed by her approach. "Do you even know what I plan to do? What I am already doing?"

She distinctly noticed Folken keeping behind her, watching her and Dornkirk. She prayed she wasn't wrong about him.

"You have come here to try and awaken Escaflowne," she replied loudly, thinking her courage would rise with her voice. She was disappointed when she realized she was still very terrified. Dornkirk's smiled grew sinister.

"For what purpose?" he daunted softly.

Hitomi swallowed. "I-I don't know."

She flinched when the man reared back his head and laughed. His battered vocal cords howled out a manically laugh, its echo bouncing across the ceiling. Hitomi tensely waited for his odd merriment to subside, her mind racing to figure out what was going on.

"To think!" the emperor cried stonily. "A woman with the power of foresight and she still doesn't understand."

The dark magic screeched and crawled forward, tightening the circle around her. Looking through the corner of her eye, she saw the magic swarm over Folken, tugging at the black aura that surrounded him. The sight made her stomach flip. Dornkirk still had a sort of control over the prince, to what extent she could only guess.

Her eyes went back to emperor. He was watching her intently like he didn't believe she was ignorant of the situation. The inky blackness pulsing from his body was darkening with each second, preparing for something. She needed to stall.

"Are you a Mystic?" she blurted out.

Dornkirk's eyes narrowed, but he didn't loose his smile, "Yes, I am a Mystic. I grew up in the valley."

"Were you an Elder?"

He waited a few seconds before answering. "No."

Hitomi frowned.

"You broke the law." She stated slowly, her mind quickly catching up. "You used your powers for personal gain so you were refused—"

"And what power is that?" he inquired, tone cold like the air outside. His gaze was penetrating, like he could look straight into her soul. Her heart was racing, but she kept her breathing slow.

"I'm not sure," she answered honestly, unable to offer any other reply. "But I'm guessing you had something to do with the blizzard."

His teeth flashed. "My power does not reside in the weather, but I did have some influence in the storm. Do not think I conjured it. The storm was already on its way, I just hurried it along."

"Were you also responsible for the change in Zaibach years ago? I heard when you arrived the country was suffering from starvation and repeated invasion. But after a short month, the country's fate took a dramatic leap upwards."

"Oh yes." He replied proudly. "I saved those people from their cursed fate. I gave them crops, rebuilt their city, gave them a chance—"

"You ruled over them," she interrupted coldly. "They became your pawns. They gave up their lives for your selfish desires."

"I gave them life!" he thundered, his voice taking an unnatural volume. She flinched as a blast of hot air burst through the room, an effect of his anger. His eyes burned into hers while the blackness writhed at his feet. "They were dying. They would have been wiped off the face of Gaea in a few short months if I hadn't intervened."

He swung out his arm in emphasis, a body hand appearing. "Now look at what I've done. They are one of the greatest nations ever standing."

"But at what price?" she retorted, her confidence growing. "You were the one to order the attack on Fanelia years ago. You broke apart a family, another kingdom to bring your country into power."

Warmth swelled in her chest as she remembered she had come to Fanelia on a similar crusade. "You had no intention to save them for some righteous cause. You wanted their obedience to pursue your own uprising status."

He chuckled lowly, his face void of the merriment she had seen earlier. His expression had taken a colder turn, making him appear dangerously psychotic. There was a hunger in his eyes that made her heart cold. "A great person once said 'absolute power corrupts absolutely.'"

His head tilted and his eyes glazed over. "I was exiled from the valley because I stepped on too many toes. They thought the Lord would let me die in the wilderness, but my powers kept me alive long enough to make it to Zaibach.

"For a time, I thought I had been delivered to help the citizens of Zaibach, but after the country rose in strength, I realized I was on a greater mission."

His chin lifted. "I wasn't born to save Zaibach. I was born to save this world."

The seer stared incredulously at the man. "Save the world from what?"

"From fate."

Her eyes widened, her mouth flapping open. "What?"

"Fate!" he grew louder, his eyes rimming with a glowing red light that made him appear like a devil. "Fate is the factor that determines us all. No matter what we want in life it is fate that shall condemn us!

"You're not making any sense," she yelled back. "You say you have been fated to stop fate!"

"Fate is what has tormented this world, pulled it into the sorrow and suffering," he continued, too driven for her words to reach his twisted mind. "We have struggled to bring our desires and wishes to life, but fate strikes us down repeatedly!"

"Not everyone's fate is full of sorrow!" Hitomi shouted back. "There are some who have blessed in their life!"

"But what about the others?" he roared. The blackness grew thicker, stronger and began to fill the empty spaces in the room. In one eye, she saw the spotless white walls while in her other eye she saw the temple smothered in darkness.

"What about the rest of the world who are doomed to suffer the worst of fates!" he ranted, his voice sounding not like the wither old man he was, but a younger, more powerful man. "The majority of the lives on this world have been forced onto a path of heartache."

"So you blame God," she retorted shrewdly, her hands curling at her side. "Not just for being exiled from the valley, but for every ounce of suffering on the face of Gaea."

"Isn't fate his tool in ruling over us?" he rumbled.

Her eyes followed the magic beginning to swirl around his body, watching how it began to solidify. Even though his energy remained transparent, it became so thick that it no longer passed ghostly through his body. Instead, his magic began to roll across his body, shifting his clothes and combing through his long white hair. It was if he was creating his own wind. Hitomi had never seen anything quite like it in all her years living in the valley.

She swallowed in apprehension.

"He is the one that torments us," he said darkly. "He is the one we spend praying to for hours, only to be refused any happiness!"

She shook her head as her mind began to comprehend what he intended. His face pulled upwards. "Watch as I do what He refuses. I shall rid the world of suffering and give the children of Gaea the happiness they beg for."

"But what about all the people you have sacrificed for this mission?" she exclaimed in exasperation. "People have died so you could make your way here!"

The candles began to flicker and the drapes tangled as the wind grew stronger. Hitomi had to squint against the blast of air as her clothes pressed against her skin. She was beginning to have trouble staying balanced on her feet. There were too many wild blasts of air plowing into her.

"If I could have, no life would have died for my cause," he stated firmly. "But it takes time to change a country. Imagine what it costs to change a world."

"But how?" she shouted against the roaring twister he was creating. "How do you plan to change the world's fate?"

"I shall strike down God himself."

Hitomi jerked backwards, nearly causing her feet to slip out from under her. "You can't be serious? You think Escaflowne is the same god we worship in the valley?"

"Don't you?" he replied coolly, his voice surprisingly carrying with ease along the currents. "Didn't you come here multiple times to pray to Escaflowne?"

She glanced at the sentinels, wondering if they had spied on her for him. "I-I—"

"It doesn't matter what I think or you think." He hurried to interrupt. "Either way in a few moments we shall know whether or not, the great legend is true."

Her heart began to hammer in her chest as her ears caught the faint hum of something stirring. She looked past the emperor and stared at the white statue of the enormous dragon. It wasn't moving, but she was fearful of what the next few minutes would unfold.

"I have spent my years searching," he explained. "For years, I have willed my powers to explain the workings of the universe."

Her focus darted back to his face.

"Yes, Lady Kanzaki," he chuckled darkly. "I can see the future like you. The difference between us is that I have power over my foresight. I can will myself to see when and what I want."

"How?" she mumbled in astonishment, the wind ripping the sound from her lips.

He answered her whether or not he heard her question. "My power is the ability to transform energy into will. I can put energy into the ground to make plants grow. I can put energy into the air to make wind. I can even steal the energy from others and use it to my advantage. To see the future, I used the stars."

"You couldn't have enough power to restore crops to entire city," she cried. "That's impossible."

"Oh really?" he chuckled. "All I had to do was use the energy stored in each individual Zaibach citizen and then transferred it into the ground."

Hitomi's followed the strains of blackness crossing the room. They were linking Dornkirk to the spiritual energy of his sentinels. He was feeding off his men.

"Oh my god…" she mumbled.

"There's only one problem when using the energy of others. They must give it freely, if it be subconsciously or literally," Dornkirk commented dryly. "In Zaibach, it was easy. Those people were so close to death when I arrived that they were ready to sell anything, including their souls, for survival. I made a few speeches, sprouted a few trees, and then suddenly I had a well of energy at my command."

He strode forward, his robe tossing like a cape in the wind. "With time, I realize I Mystics were blessed with more energy due their special gifts. Thus I rounded up the men and women I favored and began to teach magic. They were no Mystics, but with the sharing of my blood, magic manifested in their bodies."

Hitomi looked to Folken and saw the expression of disdain directed at the emperor. She guessed Dornkirk had realized the prince's origin when he had attacked Fanelia years ago.

"That's why you left Fanelia with only Folken as your prize," she stated numbly. "You realized he was different from the people of Zaibach. You wanted to study him."

She gave the prince an apologetic look. "And you gave him your soul in exchange for Fanelia. You just never understood the danger of what you were doing."

Folken remained silent, his eyes weak as he looked away.

"Yes, through Folken I have learned a great deal about the blood of Mystics," Dornkirk boasted. "I have come to find out that even if the same blood runs in a hundred veins, the magic that manifests in each individual will be different. In fact, they may never acquire a gift at all."

"Most became servants and sorcerers." He waved a hand towards his nearest sentinel. "But, the strongest ones were picked from the crowd to one day fulfill my mission."

His feet stopped, leaving a short distance between them. His eyes began to brighten with that unearthly red light. "Today is that day."

Abruptly, his magic became opaque to the naked eye, flooding the room in darkness worthy of night. Energy raced through the black fiber, pouring into his body. Her hair and clothes whirled up into the air as the pressure filling the air thunderously clapped. The pressure was pushing against her cheat, making it difficult to get the needed air into her lungs.

_'What is he thinking by putting so much energy into the air? You can't manifest a god!'_

Even so, she reached deep into her soul for the energy she held. Though she doubted his intentions, she wouldn't give him the chance to ruin the world anymore than he had. His eyes narrowed on her, but his smirk only grew.

"Do you actually think you can stop me you weak, foolish girl?" he laughed, his body beginning to glow a frightening rose color.

"I honestly don't know if I can," she mumbled, almost to herself. "But I will regret every day of my life if I don't try."

"And she is not alone." Focus traveled quickly to the prince who had remained quiet up until that moment.

"Folken?" the seer whispered as he came to her side.

His black cloak swept up in the air, revealing the lengthy blade resting against his hip. His eyebrows dipped low as his nearly invisible hand curled around the hilt. "I've allowed myself to be your pawn for too long."

The other sentinels stepped closer, intentions clear. Hitomi swung back and forth, trying to decide who to face first.

"Your madness stops here, Dornkirk," he proclaimed callously. His sword rung loudly as it slid out of its sheath. Her eyes followed the polished blade as it rose. Dornkirk's light danced across the silver length.

Hitomi gasped as she was flung into a vision. She saw a red splatter fling across the floor and then Folken's lifeless face pressed against the marble.

"No!" she cried when the prince rushed passed her. "Folken!"

The prince roared a warrior's challenge as he crossed into the massive winds. His eyes held the same fury she had seen in Van's eyes. Tears flew down her face as she screamed his name again.

When he was in range, his other hand clamped over his sword's hilt and brought down the blade of Zaibach on its emperor. Dornkirk laughed loudly as he formed an ebony blade from his magic and countered the fatal blow. The two glared at their opponent while their swords remained locked and shaking.

"I was ready to change the world," Folken hissed. Hitomi's hands flew over her mouth to hold back the sobs/.

"I was ready to make dreams come true," he shouted fervently. "I was sick of death and torture. I was sick of everything I couldn't have."  
"A family?" Dornkirk taunted. "When will you understand, Folken, that it takes sacrifice to make a world new."

"To make you a God!" the prince shouted. He quickly pushed off the elderly man and the two stumbled back with their swords ready. Hitomi's eyes darted between the men and the circling sentinels. Her heart hammered like the heels of a galloping horse. Folken glared at the emperor and yelled, "You poisoned my way of thinking when I was younger. You made me believe this world needed a chance to be reborn."

"Don't place all the blame on me," Dornkirk responded coldly. "Everything you have done was choice."

"Was I the one who killed my parents? Did I storm into my home and yank down my house?" he hollered. "It was you! Everything was your doing!"

"But you chose to become a sorcerer. You chose to follow my commands. You chose to murder when I asked."

"And I regret every action," Folken hissed. He exhaled deeply. He acted as if he was expelling something from his body, but she could see no magic leaking out. His eyes slid closed and his words grew soft. "I never blamed myself for my parents' death. I wasn't the one to storm in and decide to take their lives, but yet here I am doing exactly what I had hoped to stop years ago."

Hitomi couldn't help, but voice the single word blaring in her head, "What?"

Her stomach flipped when his eyes lazily rolled open and locked on her face. His tongue darted out and wet his chapped lips before hoarsely speaking. "When Zaibach invaded years ago, it was the single purpose of acquiring the temple. He murdered my parents so he might reach the Power Spot."

"The Power Spot?" she whispered dumbly.

"The place most holy. The spot that has been blessed by over a thousand High Priests and Sages. The spot that is considered the heart of Gaea. Few call it by such a vulgar, twisted title, but its name hardly changes the power within these walls."

"It is rumored," Dornkirk interrupted loudly. "That the Great God of the Skies visits this place once at least during each king's reign, the day of the Blood Rite."

Hitomi abruptly stiffened, her lips slowly mouthing soft words. "That's it. That's the real reason you took Folken away long ago. It was for some measly study."

"Of course not," Dornkirk retorted. "It was because only a king can call forth Escaflowne."

"But Folken is no king," Hitomi grumbled, eyes narrowed with suspicions and a hint of triumphant. "Folken cannot call on Escaflowne as you had hoped for."

"True," the elderly man shrugged. "But there is another who was foretold to have the ability to call on the great dragon."

His red eyes pointed sharply in her direction. The seer shook her head feebly, her feet nervously shifting backwards.

"I won't," she sternly replied. Dornkirk casually strolled forward, his sword keeping between him and the prince. At the same time, his cloaked followers tightened their circle. Hitomi's hands slid to her chest as her heart skipped. The emperor stared at her, focusing all of his magic to swirl into her direction.

"A woman born under the Half Moon. A woman with wings down her back and eyes that see things throughout the measure of time."

"I will not destroy this world!"

"A woman who will beg for salvation."

"You cannot make me do it!" she shouted.

"The Winged Goddess will resonate with the Dragon."

"No!"

His smile pulled higher. "You are the key to all my desires. You are the key to the world."

* * *

**_A/N: Not sure when the next chapter will be up. But I am aiming for the end of December or early Jan before I get started on my first semester in grad school. Hope this shone a little light to the mystery of this story._**


	20. Author's Note

Dear readers,

I apologize for the horrible delay of this story's update. Just to make things clear I have not given up on this story. I have been trying desperately to finish it and have used every available freedom to get it out on my computer.

Here is my problem. I recently begun my graduate semester this last month and have been very overwhelmed by the amount of reading and work. For those in college, let me just say grad school can be 5,000 times worse than college. That would be my predicament especially since I'm required to keep at 3.5 GPA in my pysch classes

Another problem is I'm having serious roommate drama issue. I won't get into, but lets just say the last week and half my entire source of energy for work and school has been drained by this drama.

Sighs I hate writing author notes instead of chapters, but I don't see a clear sky in the storm of chaos any time soon so I wanted to let you all know. Hopefully after I clear this next week of two tests I will manage to grab a few hours of creative freedom and fill pages of chapter 20.

Thank you for your patience.

Sincerely,

angelwings


	21. Chapter 20

**_A/N: Okay, so this is very, very, very late. I apologize. I actually hadn't plan on finishing this till mid May, but a random night of being burnt out on classes finally finished this chapter. Hope you all are not disappointed. _**

* * *

**** ..

**Bad Dreams**

**By angelwings1**

* * *

**Chapter 20**

* * *

**_Since the beginning of time, people have believed in the complicated existence of fate. To believe that life is not simply a random course of coincidences was comforting in the hearts of men. It was a wonderful feeling to know someone was watching over your life. _**

**_At the same, it was a curse to know you had no way of escaping your fate. Not everyone accepted the life given to them. If their lives held one ounce of suffering, sooner or later people rebuked the idea. _**

**_With time, morale collapsed into a downward spiral. People were torn between somber free will where you were one of millions suffering and the infuriating destiny without chance of digging out of the pit you were placed in. _**

**_In the end, the world fell to their knees in confused tears. _**

**_---ancient text_**

* * *

..

Oddly enough, the snowfall had become almost nonexistent in the last hour. Even so, he didn't notice the change. Rushing across the white field, he was too busy racking his mind for a plan against the unknown danger waiting in the temple. As he plowed through the knee deep drifts, he feared the worse, especially when he saw the temple across the white field shrouded in a haze of inky blackness.

His heart shuddered to see his most private place defiled. Within those walls he had released the darkest secrets of his heart. It had become his escape and baptistery. For his great enemy to pollute the quiet hall with his evil, Zaibach had committed the ultimate crime.

An immense, searing fury took over his eyes. His sword unconsciously was drawn and a silent promise was made to the demons who listened hungrily. He would exchange his soul to have the blood of his foe soaking his blade.

* * *

..

Even in the middle of hurricane with wind howling passed her ears and legs struggling against the driving force, Hitomi was aware of the spike of anger outside the white walls of the makeshift dungeon. The thread of emotion was a flash in the dark of her mind. Her head turned slightly, diverting her attention for a split second away from the powerful emperor. How she was able to identify his heart throughout the chaos and second-long flash, she couldn't be sure. "Van?"

He couldn't come to the temple! He didn't stand a chance against the forces bellowing inside!

These thoughts quickly fled her mind, however, as cold fingers wrapped around her throat. Her hands instinctively went for the grip that was cutting off her precious air, but as her fingers clawed at her throat she was unable to find the solid hand. It didn't take long for her brain to register that there was no physical hand holding her. As her eyes rolled to the side, she saw a thick blackness of energy stretched out from the emperor's body. She was astonished that his energy was able to form a solid construction. It seemed impossible in her mind, but she couldn't ignore the vice around her neck.

Red eyes stabbed through her rapidly fading vision. "It's finally in reach. Everything I have slaved over is falling into the divine order. I can taste it."

"Everything stops, Dornkirk!" Folken declared coldly. "I won't let you do this."

The lord snickered, "How will you stop me, Folken, my pawn?"

* * *

..

He was so close. He could almost sense the darkness pouring out of the temple as he reached the doorsteps. The animal within his heart trembled with anticipation of the battle to ensue. Thus, when a scarlet figure stepped into his path to block his entrance the king was more than a little thrilled at the promised fight.

"Move, Dilandau!" Van growled with lips twisted.

White hair fell over equaling hunger eyes. "I have not spared the chance of destroying your castle to be brushed aside. I was destined to be your opponent."

"Then by all means!" the king howled as he charged.

* * *

..

With his blade naked at his side, Folken stepped closer with every intention clear. Dornkirk's eyes slowly left the seer's blue tinged face. His cold stare narrowed on the prince. "Even with my foresight, I didn't know you would choose this moment to rebel."

"So you knew this was coming?" Folken commented stonily, his boots clapping on the smooth marble. The wind pulled at his tumbling cloak as the prince strode into the core of the tornado. With his dark attire and thirsty eyes, the man appeared like the devil, or at least his son.

"I knew the day I made you my disciple," Dornkirk replied evenly. The elder dug his fingers a little tighter into the seer's neck. "The day you swore your life to me I looked into the heavens and saw your fate. I knew your hand would lift against me."

Folken's eyes lit up.

"But," Dornkirk snapped over the roar, "know, Folken, the stars declare your death if you lift you try to stop me."

Hitomi knew instantly Dornkirk was speaking the truth. In a single blink, she witnessed a racing image of Folken collapsing to a red floor. She tried to open her mouth, to stop him, but she could barely part her lips. A weak moaned pushed from her throat.

Folken hesitated yards away from the evil ruler. Hitomi's eyes rolled upwards in a desperate attempt to see the prince. Her heart gave a tiny jump to see him reconsidering his attack. She wailed inwardly, however, as he took an abrupt step forward.

"Well, we all are just tools of fate," Folken declared roughly. "Captives to our destiny."

_'No, stop!'_ Hitomi silently gasped.

"Ah, yes, destiny." Dornkirk stated. His hand uncurled from his side and grouped the dark mass of energy into his hand. The power folded and writhed in his palm. Hitomi was at the edge of unconsciousness when she heard the steel-like words. "All of this is destiny."

Then without a word, his grip loosened on the neck and slipped boneless from his fingers. She didn't register hitting the floor, but she knew her view of boots rushing forward weren't from an aerial perspective. The boots grew quickly larger as she struggled to find strength to breath. How ironic would it be to die from the lack of energy to process oxygen into her lungs?

_Someone…Someone help…_

There was a loud scuffle in her ears beyond the view of her weakening vision. It sounded like distant war drums vibrating through the ground from miles away. Though she knew some great pinnacle moment was unfolding behind her shoulders, she could not focus beyond the aching panic expanding through her chest. An unseen clock began to twitter in her head. She realized the pendulum was slowing down. Everything would end soon.

The seer urged the wheels within her brain to keep speed. If she died, everything she had worked towards would be for nothing. She was desperate for sleep, but she pushed her body the small bit above consciousness.

She didn't want to give up. To let the last months crumple to dust was worst than the idea of dying. In the back recess of her mind, she had believed her motives had been for the whole of Fanelia, but as fear crept into her feeble heart she could only think of a single face within a sea of people.

How she came from near death to sudden awakening was near impossible for the seer to describe. It was like drowning underneath a frozen lake. She gasped abruptly and felt like she had been both been under and above the ice when she swallowed her first gulp of air. She was disoriented at the same time physically aware she was back to her plane of reality. Sound became almost painfully loud as she drank in the delicious air. There was a loud thump behind her and she scrambled to regain the mechanics of her wobbly limbs. After what seemed like eternity, she revolved her face to the anticipated scene.

Her dull eyes widened in shock when she saw all of the sentinels were fighting to restrain the emperor. Folken and two of the unknown guards were sprawled on the ground, taking a moment to regain their strength, as the remaining two sentinels grappled for control of the elderly man's wrists. With barely any show of effort, Dornkirk flung back his right arm and tossed one of the men across the sanctuary. His free hand immediately shot into the last's guard hood and yanked the individual into the air by the throat. The sudden motion caused the hood to tip backwards and slipped down the sentinel's neck, baring the figure's face to the seer's hungry eyes.

Blonde curls spilled over the side of the black hood like the sun breaking over the early morning. The young woman grimaced in pain as she was lifted higher into the wind. Celena glared defiantly down the length of the man's arm and straight into his bloodshot eyes.

Dornkirk sneered, "I didn't need to look to the stars to know you would fight me. After all, I stole your brother."

"You stole his soul!" she grunted weakly.

"He was destined for darkness long before I took him in as my child," the emperor hissed. "He is merely the monster he always was."

"L-liar!" she whimpered through blue lips.

"Foolish girl," he shook her throat. "You spent your life searching for a boy you only dreamed of. You thought if you sold your soul, he would somehow find his way to the gentle world of your family, but he does not the world you come from. He never knew of his true family. He knows only me!"

With a mighty whirl of air, he threw her backwards. Hitomi winced as the young woman's collided with one of the pillars. A loud crack could be heard seconds before the blonde woman slide down the white marble and crumbled onto the floor, her limbs tangled in her dark robe. Since the woman's face was hidden by a sheet of bright curls, the seer couldn't be sure if Celena was still alive or merely unconscious.

Rapid footsteps immediately followed and Hitomi whirled. While Folken had gone to one of the fallen sentinels, the two other guards had charged the emperor. Dornkirk waited patiently for the duo to get in range and show little concern as one did an impressive flip over his head. Taking positions on opposite sides of the man, the pair flung up their hands and released streams of energy. The currents resembled twined fibers of their robes stretching out from the dark figures' sleeves and stabbing into the emperor's flesh and clothes. Light reflected off the currents of shadows making appear that hard metal was piercing his weak body, but even with the morbid, violent manifestation the emperor didn't flinch under the blow. He didn't even act as if he felt the intrusive blades.

Time lost measure as he coolly lifted his burning eyes to the ceiling. Something churned within the holy walls of the temple and Hitomi recoiled in fear of what stirred.

"It was easy to sucker you two in," Dornkirk commented softly, his words curling in dark warning. "You wanted to kill those who had murdered your family and I gave you the tools to use."

"It took us a while, but we realize what kind of a monster we had bound ourselves to," a female voice hissed from beneath one of the hoods. "Now we shall make your own magic destroy you!"

Hitomi had finally pulled her disorderly knees under her as a hot blast ripped across the room. Her green eyes blinked in wonderment as a golden light flashed between the emperor and the two sentinels. Fiery energy raced through the pair of sentinels, sharp and profound as it gathered itself in their chests. The golden light that shone like a star in the sanctuary shifted excitedly between the pair, honing its power back into the bloodstream of its keepers. It was no longer a star blaring between fighters, but golden veins tracing down the arms of the sentinel's magical blades. Within a small pass of time, the golden veins traced a path up the elder's skin beneath his robes. His laughing face resembled the image of cracking glass.

Excitement burst through the room and died as quickly as it had risen. From the perspective of the fallen seer, the emperor's defenses had been pierced. His eyes told her he hadn't expected this attack. Unfortunately, his smile didn't waver informing the previously happy seer that the attack was minimal damage, if any. The dark chuckle finalized her fear.

"Is this all?" he glanced to each of the sentinels. "Is this all!"

It was hard to tell what the sentinels' reactions were with their hoods pulled down to their noses. The only glimmer of emotion was the strain in the jaw.

"Taste the bite of your magic!" the second female howled.

Instantly, the golden veins began to flare like a thousand candles. The seer winced and flung her hand up to see beyond the mounting light. The energy was pushing through the network of shadow blades into the emperor like poison, or maybe like acid. With each second, the span of light began compress into the Zaibach ruler. Even the candles burning along the sanctuary walls began to add their light into the man. Hitomi blinked in wonderment as she realized the color was also evaporating. Gold light shifted to surreal pearl, blaring with combination of energy and hues from the storage in the temple. The sentinels were going to make him explode!

As the darkness covered every corner and left only a single silhouette to give measure to the dimension, a pair of red diamonds glinting in the churning white light. With the ease of blinking an eye, the light shot out of the man and directly back into the two sentinels. The room resumed its prior appearance, showing no trace of aftershock. The abrupt recoil threw the women backwards, their shadow knives yanking out of the emperor like water.

When the sentinels landed in separate piles on the floor, there hoods fell away from their crowns revealing the faces of a pair of she-cat twins. One of them rolled to a few feet away from the seer's side. They both stared mutely at the ceiling, their faces marred by black veins traveling up their gray cheeks. Their mouths stretched open in, what appeared to be, a frantic attempt to breathe. The color in their body was dissolving rapidly. As it was, only their hair held any resemblance to color, dull gold on one head and faded silver on the other. They wheezed painfully on the floor, their body fighting the convulsions sweeping up their arms. The silver crowned twin, who was at her side, found the seer with her eyes. Their entire forms deepened into a sickening gray tint as their skin strained across their skeleton. As quickly as the scene had spun out of control, the life died in their eyes. Dornkirk breathed deeply and shook out his arms, acting as if he had shaken off the attack with the ease of shaking off a chill.

Hitomi suddenly felt very small in the world. All of her motives, hopes, and self-esteem rapidly faded from her heart as she stared at the once beautiful woman lying dead beside her. Hitomi couldn't get her mind to move pass the she-cat's dull eyes. He had killed her, both of them, with the flick of a wrist. How was she supposed to fight him? What difference could she make?

A choked sob from the other side of the room finally broke her downwards spiral. Slowly her eyes lifted and saw the last sentinel cowering by the other twin. Hitomi's heart stopped upon sight of the woman's long white hair and pale face. It was the woman from her visions, the one who sang to her.

Folken was also there, wrapping his arm tightly wrapped around the nameless woman, his eyes locked on his dead comrade. His jaw was tight and there looked like an emotional war was battling in his heart.

"Will you attack me as well, Sora?" Hitomi jerked towards the emperor. He was looking pointedly at his remaining guards. "You have always been my most loyal servant. I found you in the mountains, months before I had arrived in Zaibach, and you fell into step into my mission without much convincing."

The woman slowly lifted her tear stained face to her ruler. There wasn't a sign of fear or anticipation, only calm acceptance. Folken tucked her a little tighter against his side, placing himself further between her and the emperor. Dornkirk wasn't put off by the prince's blatant possessiveness. Instead, the elder began to walk towards them.

Hitomi was frozen to the floor, watching with mute shock as the ruler passed. The darkness spilling off his body pooled in wide puddles across the floor and tried to stretch out the yards between them to latch onto her form. She flinched when the darkness crossed her line of personal space and lick the tip of her knee. She gasped loudly.

Instantly, the emperor froze and snapped his burning eyes on the seer. Completely forgetting his prior target, the man turned on the frightened woman. A hungry smile broke across his face. "So, there is a weakness in your defenses."

In her peripheral view, the seer noticed the others' heads swivel towards her. Hitomi hastily drew backwards to put distance between her and the emperor's shadow fingers. He kept in step with her, his eyes never looking away. "The little goddess is frightened."

"I'm no goddess," she argued weakly as she crawled backwards. She tried to stand, but her limbs felt too shaky to sustain her petite weight. Her back made contact with one of the many columns. She knew she had room to move, to escape his intended prison, but she didn't have the motivation to move. There wasn't anywhere to escape to.

"You're only human, right?" Dornkirk mumbled softly. His tone curled around her eardrums, sending a soothing sensation through her tense muscles.

"Aren't you tired?"

Involuntarily, she nodded her head.

"You're tired of visions, tired of this responsibility."

Again, another slow nod. The marble was cold against her back, but she didn't notice it. Her mind was swamped with every bitter memory of her visions. She thought about how she had fought so violently against the Elders when they dragged her from her home. There had been so many long hours she had been locked away in a tiny bedchamber to study. She had lost the earlier years of her life to her visions. Her health was gone, her family disconnected from their daughter, her people—her very identity to who and what she was—all of it was taken from her.

"Don't you wish you had been born somewhere else?"

Her eyes refocused. The spell was only mild so it was easily countered with one of hers. Unfortunately, Dornkirk had already succeeded in breaking down her defenses. Her chest was heaving as a sob threatened to burst out of her throat. When had she surrendered to this nightmarish life? Why had she given in?

She tried to remember. She pulled at her memories frantically digging for the answer. There was a reason she had battle through this life. There had to be a reason. She needed to know or else shatter into a thousand pieces.

Her heart rammed against her chest as she slid further to the floor. There was no point in stopping the sob that bubbled up into her chest. She trembled and brought her hands to cover her face. _'No, I—'_

"You don't deserve this fate," Dornkirk mumbled, his eyes beginning to light up. "Why should you be the one to bear this?"

Somewhere along the line of his words, she had lost sight of her surroundings. Not that she was aware of it. Details were oddly disoriented. Some would shrink away while others would blare to the front of her senses. Every breath she took was like pounding nails into marble. The red in his eyes was of hot coals. The curves of the dragon statues flowed like a dozen rivers. The heart of the world churned beneath her feet. She could almost hear the thrum life in her ears.

Most importantly she remembered her life. From beginning to end, she could see it all in a single toss of wave. All the memories were crashing into one scattered puddle that stretched out through the reaches of her soul. She felt vast and lonely. Insignificant.

Hitomi knew she was falling under some spell and yet, she made no attempt to fight it. The dark fingers brushed her ankles and dread slid up her legs. She was beginning to take deep, rapid breaths when his eyes swallowed her fading sense of mind.

_Alone. Long. Harsh. Meaningless. _Her life held no grand end, no great applause or thunderous cheers. Not even a small smile of gratitude. Everything she thought she would find inside the Temple she failed to find. The cold revelation made the seer empty. Very empty.

The truth was…

It was in the dangerous moment that the front doors thunderously burst open and broke the spell. Hitomi blinked rapidly as the emperor unconsciously looked away. The white walls and candles suddenly came back into view. Startled, the seer's face darted back and forth in disbelief. _'What?'_

When her eyes fell on the scene at the doorway, the dead feeling in her chest erupted into wild drum. Standing in the door was a blood red figure against the stormy sky. Hitomi had almost believed it was a demon who was striding into the sanctuary. Blood was pouring down one side of his face from a deep gash marring his left cheek and his eyes were filled with some unearthly emotion. Unconsciously, the seer drew back, bringing the column between her and the demon man. Dornkirk didn't respond immediately, watching silently his approach. As he grew closer to the emperor, Hitomi caught sight of the lump draped across his shoulder. It had been hard before to see from the angle of her position, but she rapidly figured out what he was holding.

_'Van!'_

With a triumphant grin, the captain carelessly dumped the king at the emperor's boots. Dornkirk's eyebrows rose, "So you were able to retrieve him with minimal damage."

"Well, you told me to keep him intact," Dornkirk retorted, his eyes darkening with bitterness.

"I meant with minimal damage to you," the emperor replied lazily before pushing the Fanelian King with the toe of his boot. Hitomi flinched as her beloved was turned over and his shoulder loudly struck the floor. He didn't look like he had been badly hurt except for the massive bruise covering one side of his face. Even still, Hitomi felt no comfort in watching the two men tower over his unconscious form.

With her worry overriding her fear, Hitomi frantically pushed away from the column and scrambled weakly over to the young king. Neither the captain nor the emperor cared to stop her. The seer covered his body with hers blindly thinking she could protect him from their hand. Tears collected in her eyes as she knew her fate had suddenly taken a tragic turn. Before she had only been worried about her own life, but now Van had pulled into this suicidal battle. Spinning her face upwards, the seer glared pointedly at the Zaibach ruler. "What do you want with Van?"

Dornkirk didn't divert his gaze away from the seer when he stated coldly, "A blood sacrifice is needed to awaken the God of the Sky. What better sacrifice is there than Escaflowne's favored king."

Horrified, Hitomi tightened her grip on her beloved."You can't be serious."

"I haven't gone through the trouble of deciding who the true king of Fanelian was for nothing, foolish girl," he replied sharply.

"What?" she gasped. "You brought Folken to the council because you wanted to ensure the proper sacrifice?"

As a painful silence ensued, she stared incredulously at the ruler. She had assumed Folken's appearance had been to throw off the representatives' noses. Instantly, the Hanged Man Card from her tarot deck flashed in her head. Her heart stilled. _'Sacrifice.'_

Why hadn't she known? Why hadn't her vision shown her? Other angry questions battled in her head as the captain leaned towards her. As his hand captured her arm and sought to rip her from the Fanelian King, she began to fail her limbs wild. No, it couldn't be right. She should have foreseen this horrible fate. Escaflowne wouldn't allow this to befall his chosen king. Hitomi wailed desperately as Dilandau's strength won out and dragged her away from the king.

Dornkirk was reforming his sword of dark magic when Folken charged. The emperor quickly blocked the descending blow and sneered. "You finally know the truth, my dear Folken Strategos. It never matter about your blood reclaiming a future kingdom."

"Devil!" Folken hissed, pushing hard against the emperor's sword. Dilandau had hesitantly stopped when the prince had charged. From the way his fingers clenched and unclenched around Hitomi's arms, she guessed the captain wanted to take the chance to fight Folken. Unfortunately, he couldn't let her go and chance her causing problems. Hitomi was relieved. She doubted Folken could fight the captain and the emperor at one time.

Dornkirk began to chuckle. First it was quiet, but it quickly grew into an insane banshee laugh that filled every naked corner of the temple. It made the seer's bones tremble and she cowardly foolishly in fear. Once his laughter had faded, the emperor looked square into the prince's eyes and said, "Go ahead and kill me, Strategos."

With their swords still locked for dominance, the prince blinked. "What?"

"Kill me and see what happens," Dornkirk repeated calmly. "What do you think will happen? You know as well as I that the wheels of fate are already turning. Here in the power spot the rules of cause and effects are strongest. Are you ready to see what will result if you kill me?"

There was no response or glimmer of reaction from the prince. Hitomi pushed against Dilandau's arms. _'Someone! Someone please!'_

"Aren't you tried of this fate, Folken?" Dornkirk whispered. "The day you left Fanelia, you said you were tired of seeing battle after battle across the world. Don't you remember why you gave in to me so easily? You wanted to believe in something more than a silent god!"

_'Stop!' _Hitomi sobbed inwardly, crushing her hands against her chest. Dilandau's grip slackened and Hitomi slid downwards. Squeezing her eyes shut, the seer slumped forward onto her knees. _'Stop this! Stop it!'_

"You though maybe there was an answer to heartache," the emperor hissed darkly. "Maybe if there was a reason you could accept this world, this fate your God forced you in."

She tried to block out the sound of metal clattering, their angry shouts. When she couldn't ignore them, she hastily covered her ears. Her heart slammed into her throat as she desperately tried to calm her erratic nerves. Dornkirk was aiming for the prince's heart, but he was actually destroying hers. She gulped loudly, a keen hissing noise passing through her teeth. Sobs mounted in her throat, trying to break out of her voice box. Tears drenched her clothes. Their chill crept into the depths of her soul.

"Face it, Folken! Every ounce of suffering in this world amounts to nothing!"

Her resolve broke and she cried. She knew what was to come, and that was without her foresight. She could feel it in her bones. As her vision had whispered, Folken would fall, but there was more.

Their swords flew in high arcs. Something hot flashed through the air and the seer bolted from the floor, tears streaming down her face. She wouldn't let it happen. Otherwise, she would be left with only her emptiness.

Sadly, she didn't have a chance in stopping the inevitable, and in all honesty, she hadn't believed she would be able to stop it.

The red spray was a vibrant shower of color across the gray walls. There was a moan followed by the sound of metal snapping and clattering. Both men immediately crumbled. She wasn't able to reach either of them before they hit the floor.

Sliding down to the floor, the seer knelt beside the prince. "Folken!"

As she feared, there was no answer. She hastily pulled on the prince's shoulder and dragged his heavy form into her lap. His head lolled up to her, blood streaming from the corner of his mouth. She swallowed back a sob of distress.

Somehow a broken shard of sword had lodged into his chest, piercing him through his left lung. His shirt was already soaked with huge amount of blood. Her hand shakily pushed back his wet bangs. She searched his fading eyes. "Folken?"

He barely had the strength to focus on her face. His lips shuddered as he mouthed silent words. When his eyelids fluttered, she hastily swept her hand up to cup his face. "Folken?"

_'No, don't!'_

It was too fast. Everything happened too fast. There was no chance to save him. There were no final words. He simply became dead weight as the life in his eyes shriveled and died.

She sat in disbelief, cradling him in her lap. Her mind was too numb to process what to do next so she just stayed in that silent position. She listened attentively to her slow heartbeat, relishing the reminder of life it gave in contrast to the death she held. Part of her remembered there was a violent war going outside the temple. She wondered if it mattered, outside or in. Fighting or quitting.

She was so confused.

"He was destined to die."

Her eyes slowly lifted and found his glassy red eyes. Dornkirk sneered from his sprawled bed on the marble floor. There was a deep slash across his chest, pouring out his life across the white floor. It reminded her of red silk. "He was destined as was I."

She blinked. "W-what?"

"This is what I have worked towards," Dornkirk whispered seductively. "This very moment."

She glanced down uncertainly at Folken's ashy face. "I don't—"

"I needed five deaths to awaken him," he interrupted smoothly, his voice growing quiet. "Plus, with my death I can transcend this shell of flesh and reach the immortality I have forever sought."

"How could you possibly?" she mumbled, fingers growing limp. "There's no such way."

He didn't listen to her. "With my immortality set, I can focus my energy towards the transformation of the world. I can change these rules of fate! I can tear down the god who has condemned us!"

Hitomi shook her head. "You're insane."

His eyes shifted pass her shoulder and his lips twisted upwards. "There is only a single remaining death to complete the payment, the sacrifice that shall seal the circle."

'_**The Winged Goddess shall awaken him…'**_

Instinctively, Hitomi whirled around, expecting to see her death hanging over her. She gasped when she realized Dilandau wasn't standing over her, but heading towards the unconscious king. "No!"

_Call on me._

His sword rang loudly as the captain yanked it from it's sheathe. Dilandau's were bright with hunger as his stride lengthened.

_Call on me._

"No, stop!" she cried, frantically pushing Folken off her lap.

Dilandau raised his sword upon reaching the king. She silently called to her love, begging him to wake, but he remained unaware of his looming end.

There was burst of fire and ice in the room. Something powerful was exploding, defining some great unknown event. She heard Dornkirk chuckle, "It's time."

_Call on me. _

Hitomi's eyes squeezed shut as she realized he would die long before she even got to her feet. She couldn't save him. She could do nothing.

_Call Me!_

Everything she had fought and strove for was in vain. All of her suffering was useless. A gavel struck down and she swallowed down her panic. There was only one last chance.

It was foolish considering what the prophecy proclaimed. Unfortunately, there was no other hope. If she did nothing, the kingdom she had fought for would become a wasteland. The delegates would die and the countries would crumble into a world of hatred. Fate would still condemn them.

_Call my name._

It was a split second decision. Knowing there was no time left for the king, the seer took in a deep breath and cried with wild abandonment the only being who could possibly save them. **"ESCAFLOWNE!"**

Life burst through the air, filling up every ounce of shadow with blinding light. Feeling the powerful change, her eyes snapped opened to the sight of two bottomless blue orbs staring straight down into the depths of her broken soul.**  
**

* * *

**_A/N: Okay, so I was wrong. This didn't turn out to be the last chapter. I had truly intended it to be, but upon reaching this line I realized it would be horrible of me to do more. Besides, some of yall have been waiting forever for an update. The next chapter shall be it. That is a definite. _  
**


	22. Chapter 21

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**_Bad Dreams_**

**_By angelwings1_**

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* * *

**_Chapter 21_**

* * *

Though her vocabulary wasn't the smallest in length, she knew no words that were sufficient to explain what transpired in those few short heartbeats. All the anxiety that had built and throbbed in the air had abruptly exploded into a peaceful stillness that expanded into the shadowy depths of her soul. She had stood frozen, breathing long, shallow breaths as she tried to understand what she was feeling. Unfortunately, her mind was having the most difficult time working while she was staring into two huge eyes of cerulean blue.

"Escaflowne," she breathed.

He was glorious. His neck wasn't completely stretched out and he could reach the three hundred foot high ceiling. At it was, his tail twisted through and around five columns. Her eyes followed the lengthy twist of his spine, hesitating at his spiny wings before continuing up to his ruffling gills.

He was a solid, pearl mountain both beautiful and frightening. His armor of scales was the purest white she had ever witnessed. They almost looked like starlight was trapped in each scale, glowing brightly in the flesh of his skin. Surely only heaven could produce such an angelic light.

His curved claws, which were several feet long, were a more translucent hue. His front feet spanned out like roots of tree, expanding as wide as twenty feet, with one short, arching thumb on either foot grazing delicately across the marble floor. His back daggers were straighter, but the slight curve was deadly enough to catch the most evasive prey.

Slowly, the dragon straightened his limbs, expelling a gasp from the seer as she watched him grow even larger before her eyes. In a loud rip of leather, his wings burst open and revealed a dark span of skin. Somehow a million stars, or maybe it was the universe, was twinkling in the cradle of his wings. The depths seemed to hold no bounds and began to pour across the ceiling and become the sky.

His bright eyes were watching her intently. Hitomi shifted nervously under his gaze, her mind slowing down to a weak stop. She flinched when his giant claws scrapped across the floor. One thick leg slid forward in her direction. Hitomi was too afraid to move back as the white dragon strode towards her. This was a god standing in front of her, not some small brained beast. A god!

She swallowed slowly, fearful of making any sudden move. "Are you Escaflowne?"

Hitomi winced when she heard her voice squeak. She definitely didn't sound like a goddess. The dragon didn't offer any response to question, but instead stared mutely at her. She licked her dry lips and tried again. This time her voice was thankfully stronger. "Are you the God of the Sky, Escaflowne?"

He blinked at her. Twitching his wings, he took another step forward. Hitomi noticed with fear that it would only take one more step for the dragon to reach out and crush her. Even if he wasn't a god, it was unlikely she would be able to stand up against such a monstrous being.

"That is him," a voice croaked from behind her. Hitomi whirled and was surprised to see the dark emperor lying in a pool of his blood, staring up at the dragon. Dornkirk grinned excitedly. "It is Escaflowne."

He had trouble getting the words out past the blood filling his mouth. Each syllable was a disgusting gurgle on his tongue. "There is no doubt he is the God of this kingdom."

Slowly, Hitomi turned her jade eyes back to the great beast, heart drumming rapidly in her chest. The dragon had switched his attention to the fallen emperor. The seer might have been imagining it, but it almost looked as if the dragon's expression had grown disappointed.

"Escaflowne?" she mumbled uncertainly.

"You called for him," Dornkirk hissed joyfully. "You did exactly what you were destined for."

Her hands flew over her mouth as the cold truth hit her. Hitomi shook her head with sudden terror. Dornkirk lifted an unsteady, bloody hand towards the dragon. "Now, the world can be rewritten. Gaea will be purged of sorrow."

Rapid footfall startled the seer and she spun around. Her jade eyes widened as she saw the red captain charging the dragon. His blade was high as he raced across the room, coming on the great dragon's left side. Surely, the man wasn't stupid to believe he could take down a god with a mortal blade. Hitomi was stun to see Dilandau leapt into the air.

Slowly the layers were pulled away from the scene. She was surprised to have overlooked it before, but there was an overwhelming white light pouring out of the dragon. It was seeping directly from his scales and pulsating like a strong heartbeat. It was a thousand sheets of stars intertwining and stretching out. Their tiny fingers crept between the shadows and tore apart the shadows. The darkness screeched in pain and shriveled away from the light's prying fingers, bowing down to its awesome power. Slowly, inch by inch the light took back the temple and restored the order of holiness to its beautiful walls. Even the wind began to die.

The only ray of darkness left clinging was the vivid blackness expanding through the length of Dilandau's sword. Dornkirk had cursed the blade. Somehow he had managed the blade to trap the emperor's remaining dark energy into the sharp metal to smite down the dragon's defenses. It was clear Dornkirk's intentions were to plunge the dark energy directly into Escaflowne's heart and create a spiritual link between his dying flesh and the dragon eternal body.

Hitomi had believed such a curse was only legend, possible a farce told to scare children. The Soul Stealer Curse was rarely spoken of because it hadn't been perform in her villagers' lifetime, but it was whispered to be an abomination of power. It had been so long since she had last heard a conversation mention the curse that she had completely forgotten about it.

As the dragon slayer began to descend from air, Escaflowne slowly turned one blue eye to study the man. Dilandau was twisted in an excited grin while his body rigidly anticipated the approaching moment the point of his sword would connect with the layer of scales. His white bangs flapped wildly around his bright eyes. As he dropped down, his sword sliced through the wall of light, making a direct path towards the spot between the dragon's front shoulder blades.

Escaflowne didn't even blink as he brought the naked tip of his tail down on Dilandau's shoulders, stopping the captain short of his aim. Dilandau howled in pain as he crashed into the floor. His sword flew from his hands and slid across the slick marble, leaving a fading trail of shadowy blackness. Hitomi unconsciously let out a deep breath of air.

With difficulty, the shaken captain lifted his head to glare at the giant beast. His messy hair draped across one brilliant red eye as he hissed out a pained breath of air. Dilandau spat out a mouthful of blood and slowly pushed to his knees. The blow had significantly hurt the fighter. His hand spanned over his right hip as he stumbled to rise. Escaflowne looked pointedly down at the captain and fanned his gills. His tail twisted sharply in the air cracking like a loud whip. Dilandau flinched, but successfully kept his face neutral. Even for his mortal body, he was not a fire that could be easily controlled.

With quiet coldness, the great dragon began to lower his head towards the slayer. Hitomi shifted anxiously as she watched the giant jaws slid open and reveal the razor teeth three feet in length. The pocket beneath the dragon's chin bulged with air and a sharp flute-like hiss slid pass Escaflowne's lips. Dilandau tried to scramble backwards as the dragon lord crept closer, but his injuries kept him from escaping. The captain's eyes widened once the wall of daggers became a short yard from his scuffed face. In the reflection of the dragon's large teeth, Dilandau could see the bruise forming at his left temple. Before another second could add more tension to air, Escaflowne puffed out a hot breath on the captain's face. Hitomi gasped as Dilandau's eyes rolled back into his head and his body slumped to the floor.

Hitomi was shocked still. All doubt of the dragon's power faded from the seer's mind. Escaflowne had killed him by a simple breath. Her limbs quivered as her eyes drifted back to the giant beast.

She had failed to notice the dragon moving towards the other side of the room. He had his back to her. She was thankful that he did not mark her as a personal threat. Escaflowne towered over the unconscious form of the captain's blonde twin. His glowing cerulean eyes considered her before he lowered his snout towards her messy crown. Again there was a low noise from the back of his throat followed by a hot blast of air that pushed aside Celena's bangs. The woman's bloody lip parted and released a scratchy moan. Her breathing became stronger in minutes.

Hitomi scowled. _'He took away Dilandau's life, but gave Celena hers?'_

Suddenly, his eyes snapped towards her, his brow lowering into a heated glare. Hitomi swallowed nervously. She tried to back away, but her limbs wouldn't respond to her desperate pleas. His body moved in one fluid motion as he twisted around and walked towards her. The air began to pop with heat and energy. She could see white ripples expanding from his flesh and filling the entire sanctuary. As his snout lowered, she thought she would faint long before he took her soul.

Stopping several yards above her, the dragon's lips pulled apart and showed his razor teeth. Hitomi's stomach dropped when she saw her wide eyes staring back at her in the reflection of his snarl.

"By right, I should tear you apart."

Hitomi flinched, totally taken aback by the dragon's deep voice. It was hard to describe the sound. His voice was like a thousand waves crashing on the shore, or perhaps the earth breaking. He sounded like a warm breeze and the crisp of steel. Under that, there were layers of voices combating to talk over each other. She caught the voice of an old man while at the same time she heard a young woman. There were children and grandparents mingling in each syllable.

"I have done only what was necessary to save a world from suffering," Dornkirk coughed from behind her. Hitomi swirled to look at the man and saw he was looking pointedly up at the dragon. Nauseating relief filled her belly when she realized Escaflowne was growling at the fallen emperor and not her.

"Life has its seasons," Escaflowne responded darkly. "Suffering is one of harsh passing, but it a necessary cycle. You might believe you can cleanse it from the world, but you have only reinforced its life by your actions."

"Only because the laws of the world are still enforced on Gaea," Dornkirk howled. Blood sprayed from his lips as his eyes became wide and furious. "If Gaea was freed from—"

"How do you presume to free Gaea from a suffering destiny?" Escaflowne prodded sharply. "Give the people what they desire?"

Hitomi looked towards the emperor as Dornkirk grimly replied, "Yes."

The dragon's eyes slid slowly close and weariness showed in his face. A low sigh escaped from his throat. "Mortals are greedy. Their desires are too bottomless to fill. For a time they will find happiness, but it will later not be enough. Give them lengthy life and they demand immortality. Give them a kingdom and they plead for the world. Take away their suffering and they will still ultimately be unhappy."

Dornkirk struggled to rise. "Because of you—"

"You foolish parasite!" Escaflowne snapped, his voice echoing like a clap of thunder and explosions. "Do you presume you could change this suffering fate by your limited capacity! I have lived your lifetime folds upon folds. You were given breath, a world to reside in, and the wicked gift of free will!"

"Free will is a joke!" Dornkirk choked. "Especially when we are forced into grief." The dragon's eyes became cold and Hitomi shuddered. His gills ruffled as he clicked his teeth together.

"Amazing," he huffed. "Even at the edge of truth, you continue to refuse the gifts of life."

The dragon's eyes flashed hungrily, "If you want to be rid of sorrow so badly than let me grant you your desire!"

Hitomi cried out when she saw the bulge in the dragon's neck began to glow a dangerous orange. In a mere blink, Escaflowne opened his huge jaws and released a pillar of rapid fire. Dornkirk never got the chance to scream as his body was engulfed in the flames. The heat was astonishing as it swept over her body and singed the edge of robes and eyelashes. As the fire swirled, the seer could see the slim edge of the emperor's flailing limbs. Escaflowne watched quietly, his lips down turned as the firelight reflected in his eyes. Once he was satisfied, he flapped his wings and extinguished the flames with a mighty blast of air. All that was left was a small smudge of blackness staining the once perfect white marble. Hitomi numbly stared at the dark marking.

Escaflowne swiveled his attention to seer, his blue eyes brilliantly vivid. "Now little one, why are you here?"

Hitomi started out of her stupor and stared wide eyes up at the giant. She tried to push words out of her mouth, but her body failed her. The dragon's lips twitched in amusement. "You should not be afraid of me, little one. I am the one you have spoken to many times."

"Yes, my lord," her voice abruptly squeaked out. "But I have never witnessed you in all of your…_splendor._"

Hitomi jerked backwards when Escaflowne tossed back his head and barked a laugh. His teeth flashed and his laughter sounded like the pounding of hooves and the crackle of brushfire. He smiled down at the seer with a glint in his eyes, "My form as been referred as many things, but splendor is rare to hear. You were gifted with more than just foresight, little one."

Somehow those words had broken the seer of her stupor and she hastily dropped to the floor. Her hair splayed across the white marble as she pressed her forehead to each smooth surface. "Please, I humbly request your mercy, lord, on this kingdom. I beg you not to destroy it."

A hot wave hit her back and she knew his face was hovering over her. Hitomi squeezed her eyes close. "If you need, I give you my life in exchange."

"Your life is already deteriorating it seems," the dragon replied. "You are very ill."

Hitomi didn't say anything, knowing she had nothing else to offer. Another blast of hot air washed over her and the seer felt it surge up through her bloodstream. She gasped when it made her heart skip. A bout of energy pushed through her as his jaws clicked together over her head.

Escaflowne grunted softly, "A single life for thousands. I think the scale is tipped."

Immediately, the seer pushed up from the floor, faster than ever. Her eyes were wide with desperation. "But it was my fault!"

The dragon smirked knowingly, "What is your fault, little one?"

Hitomi was overwhelmed with the sight of the dragon's enormous head inches from her nose. She momentarily hesitated before replying quietly, "I was the one who summoned you. I went against the presented warnings and called out your name."

"How was that wrong?" he replied heavily. "There is no law that says you are forbidden to call my aid. Besides, I whispered in your ear to summon me."

Hitomi blushed, "I know, but I did not wish for you to come and destroy this kingdom and world that I have labored to save."

"If it had been my will, than I could have destroyed this world without a summons."

The seer stared at the Dragon Lord. "Are you saying you do not wish to destroy this world?"

Escaflowne ruffled his gills. "The prophecy never said I would destroy the world. It was people who said I would destroy it."

Hitomi shook her head, "Then why did—"

"The prophecy has been too scattered into pieces that are difficult to understand separated," the dragon stated roughly. He inhaled deeply and allowed his eyes to close. Relishing the hot air, the dragon began to whisper.

_"The day will come when the world shall build and break like a wave crashing on the shore. No man will be able to regain the foundation of the world though flesh will tear and breath will fail. Under the half moon, a goddess shall enter mortality and bear the dragon on her back. With eyes that see through the measure of time, the woman shall fall at the feet of the destroyer and plead for salvation. She shall resonate with the Dragon and together they shall wash away the world." _

The seer was shocked. As the dragon eyes lifted to her face, she stumbled back. She didn't understand how those words had made her breathing hitch and her heart race. "W-What does it mean?"

He didn't answer. He instead crouched low, brushing his belly against the marble floor. Lips pulled apart as he gave a soft hiss. His huge wings pressed against his back as his gills rattled. Hitomi's stomach plunge to her feet as the candles' light fluttered. She gasped when shadows collapsed on the room a second after he lunged forward.

* * *

.. 

_Hitomi cringed in a ball on the floor as she waited for his hot teeth to rip through her back. Her fingers pressed into her knuckles as she prayed for her life. When her muscles began to groan, she wondered how long it took for a dragon to leap across eight yards. When she lost feeling in her legs, Hitomi stole a peek at the dragon. She was startled to see green lines swaying in front of her nose. Blinking twice, she carefully lifted herself and realized she was laying down in a clump of tall grass. Hitomi pulled her feet underneath her and look out across the vast meadow. An orange sun glared into her eyes and she lifted her hand to block out the warm light. The breeze combed through her short hair, bringing a flush to her chilled face. When had winter swap with the springtime? _

_Her eyes focused on a gray silhouette in the horizon. Hitomi nervously stood in the grass, wondering if something was waiting to jump her. Seeing nothing beside the unknown object ahead of her, the seer struck forward. At first, she merely walked and enjoyed the feel of grass tickling her fingertips, but soon she began to run. The old memories of chasing her little brother through the fields came to mind and she laughed. Inhaling the distinct scent of fields, Hitomi remembered another person, someone who always smelled like the grass. _

_Her eyes snapped open as she slowed to a stop, "Van!" _

_She had forgotten him. She spun around. He was lying on the floor of the sanctuary, hurt and possibly bleeding to death! She scanned the meadow for any sign of life. How did she get back? How did she get here? _

_A broken sob from behind got her to swing back around. She jumped backwards when she saw an enormous tree stretched over her head. Her jade eyes widened in astonishment, having never seen branches stretched so far out. _

_"Beautiful," she mumbled seconds before another muffled sob drifted to her ears. She twisted around. It was difficult to tell, but it sounded like the voice was coming from the other side of the tree trunk. She barreled around the side. Her legs pumped harder as the sob grew louder. "Hello?"_

_The sob bellowed louder over her head, filling the span of the sky and echoing off the tree branches. She cried out in exhaustion as she stumbled to a stop several feet away from the tree. "Hello? Is anyone there?"_

_"I'm so alone…" the voice whispered from above her head. _

_Hitomi started. _

_"Van?" She scanned the branches for his ebony crown. "Is that you?"_

_"Always alone."_

_"Please, come out!" she called to him, tears cresting her eyelashes. Nothing was visible in the grass or the branches. She could only see the sparkle of light winking through the evergreen leaves. "Van?"_

_"He isn't here." _

_Spinning again, the seer faced the most perfect cerulean eyes ever. "Oh my!" _

_A man about her age who had short silver hair and soft blue eyes was calming staring back at her inches away from her nose. The expression on her face immediately brought a smile to his that caused twin dimples to crinkle in his rosy cheeks. "Surprisingly, this form also leaves you speechless." _

_Hitomi stepped backwards and took in the sight of the man covered in pearl white armor. "Escaflowne?"_

_He nodded. "It is still me. This form might not be as fearsome, but it is still powerful."_

_She studied him for a moment. "What's going on?"_

_"This is the beginning," he stated as the air swept through his bangs, making him all the more handsome in the golden sunset. _

_"The b-beginning?" _

_"Of everything," he breathed, stepping towards the old tree. A red cape spilled down from his shoulders and rolled in the air as he turned his back to her. Hitomi's eyes followed the stream of scarlet before she hurried after him. "This is where Gaea started."_

_Her eyebrows jumped, "With this tree?"_

_"Yes." His pale fingers spread across the rough bark. "When Gaea was created, this was where everything began. This was the first spark of life in an empty blackness. This was where God gave life to the Draconians, his favored people."_

_She darted a looked towards the man. "Wait! Are you saying—"_

_He turned to her, "I am not the God you think I am."_

_"B-But you," she stuttered, her hands making scattered motions. "But y-you—"_

_He sighed through his nose and bowed his head, allowing his white bangs to slip over his eyes. Exhaustion had settled over his body, pulling down at his shoulders. The defeated image was too much for the seer. She had seen him kill by simply exhaling. He had brought her to a realm of unknown origin. Hitomi shook her head, "But than who are you? More so what are you?"_

_He breathed heavily, "I am merely a holy guardian of the Great One. I have been for thousands of millenniums, but over time my message has been forgotten. Wars and illness has distorted my true purpose._

_"After the Great One had smote the Draconians of their wings and brought suffering onto the valley, He planned a future kingdom for his favored children. To ensure the land for the new generations, He appointed me as guardian."_

_"Fanelia," Hitomi breathed._

_Escaflowne nodded and stared into the sunlight. "After the fall in the Mystic Valley, the world began to build and regroup. Countries swelled and gave birth to others while the Draconians hid away in shame. They gave up the responsibility of their teachings and allowed the world to live in their ignorance. Soon, no one besides the Mystics remembered the true God and idols were formed._

_"When a wretched era fell over the kingdom, the people began to bow to me, the guardian, instead of the true Protector. As the sun broke through the darkness, the people of Fanelia rejoice and called me their God of Salvation. And that's how it has been to this day." _

_"But what now?" she mumbled, searching his blank face. "What's happening to Fanelia? To me? To this prophecy?"_

_The man-shaped dragon chuckled lightly, "You're a very sharp woman. You see the prophecy is exactly what is happening. The prophecy marks the day when the Draconians' descendants shall build a home in Fanelia. By a Draconian coming to the throne, the Draconians shall bring light to world and restore God in the eyes of Gaea—"_

_"But a Draconian is already on the throne," Hitomi interrupted. "Van is a Draconian. His mother was a Draconian."_

_"But it is a people that shall claim Fanelia," Escaflowne stated firmly. "The prophecy is about the Mystics leaving the valley."_

_Hitomi scowled, "Leaving? But why would they—"_

_She froze. Her eyes widened in disbelief and her mouth hung open, "Oh my goodness."_

_His lips pulled high into a smile, "That's right, little one. You are the reason they shall leave the valley. You shall make the way for them with Van Fanel at your side."_

_She turned a million shades of red. _

_The man-dragon's eyes flashed, "You needed to know the truth before everything unraveled."_

_She stared, perplexed. "You mean the fighting going on in Fanelia?"_

_"Yes," he replied stonily, the air becoming heavy around them. Abruptly, his armor began to shift in the fading sunlight. Shadows crept from the horizon and enveloped the field. Hitomi nervously glanced at the foreboding darkness, unconsciously shifting closer to the dragon-man. "It is time to fulfill your destiny, Winged Goddess."_

_"My destiny?" she cried, whirling around. She gasped when she realized he had left her alone beneath the tree. She swung around frantically as the ground began to tear loudly under her feet. "How the heck am I supposed to stop a hundred guymelefs from demolishing the city?"_

_Immediately following her shout, a clump of earth collapsed and disappeared several yards away. She pressed her back into the tree trunk and swallowed a scream. Another patch of land sunk out of view. Soon the entire meadow was disappearing and being replaced by orange flames that surged up to the sky. She slid to the ground, pulling her knees close to her, as she found her salvation lied in the twenty foot long island that held her and the ancient tree out of the fires' reach. Tears slipped down her cheeks as her foot broke a chunk off her island. "Please."_

_She felt the earth tremble under her. Lifting her head to the overhead branches, the seer waited for the inevitable. Suddenly, there was nothing beneath her and the gravity yanked her downwards. Her hair swirled around her cheeks and the air disappeared from her lungs. _

_Something hot and painful tickled her back when she believed she had reached the end of everything. She had just closed her eyes as she felt a weight stretched out from her back. Snapping her eyes open, a white light crept around the edge of her vision. The wind brushed down her back and her body jerked forward. Her muscles ripped as her head snapped backwards. The last thing she remembered was a ray of light plunging down and swallowing her up. _

* * *

.. 

Van woke up abruptly. His head was fuzzy and there was a sharp pain trailing from his left temple to the back of his skull. He remembered something about falling, but he couldn't recall anything else. Slowly lifting himself off the floor, he became aware that he was lying in the sanctuary.His garnet eyes found the dark sky beyond the doors. The guymelefs were flinging themselves at each other with smoke and fire exploded everywhere.

His heart lunged in his throat as he saw the flames eat away at a flag. There was an overwhelming urge to race to the castle.

_'Go to her…'_

He lifted off the floor, a silent command thrumming through his blood. A calmness spread through his chest as he spotted a shaft of light breaking through the heavy storm clouds and striking in the center of the battered city.

_'Go to your destiny…'_

His clothes ripped and glowing white wings stretched out from his back. Feathers spilled over the ground and fluttered on the unseen still forms of his brother and the Zaibach captain.

* * *

.. 

Everything had stopped in a single heartbeat. Everyone had been thirsty for blood, swinging their blades with vicious energy, but time had frozen when the pearl feathers had begun to snow down. Heads had turned upwards and blades had fallen to the red earth. A single pillar of white-bluish light stood in the midst of the fight, the call for stillness. The dust settled over the mute soldiers as they solemnly watched a small speck of white light descend down the beautiful pillar. A man near the center of the city gave out a cry, "Look! It's a white dragon!"

But another man shook his head, "No! It's an angel."

As if to prove the second man's declaration, an explosion of feather burst from the winking star. Gradually as the star became closer to the ground, the light faded and the silhouette of a person became evident to the eyes of the battlefield. Immediately, men began to fall to their knees. Several began to call out the names of their god and gave praise. Soldiers who were in their guymelefs pulled opened their hatches and stepped out with expressions of wonderment. Even the Zaibach guymelefs, who were invisible to the eyes, threw off their stealth cloaks and allowed their fighters to see the miraculous display. No one saw the other. All they saw was the beautiful young woman stepping down onto their bloodstained earth.

When her feet finally brushed broken ground, she opened her eyes and stared at the bowed figures. Though her skin tingled all over, she felt oddly detached from her body. She blinked rapidly, trying to reconnect with reality, but she felt so far away. Seeing the sheer number of bodies, both dead and alive, made her sink further out of reach.

She inhaled deeply and nearly staggered back. The air was full of death and burnt earth. Her tongue crossed over her chapped lips and she caught the taste of smoke. When she realized her feet were bare and the ground was hard against her heels, she began to realize it was no dream or vision she was standing in. No, she was part of present reality. She stared back at the crowd, her brain shutting down. What was she suppose to do now? How did a person suddenly exclaim to world everything that she had just experienced? More so, did she understand everything that she had experienced?

"I…" she began softly. Her voice sounded far too loud in the tense silence.

"Hitomi!"

The seer whirled at the sound of the king's voice. His name spilled from her lips involuntarily as she spotted his high figure flying towards her. The white shine at her shoulders, however, distracted her attention. The seer glanced back and gasped. She had wings, wings of the purest white. Her wings even appeared to glow brighter than Van's. She blinked rapidly as she felt the hot tears drip down her face.

"Hitomi!"

Her face lifted and Van dropped down in front of her. The beat of wings caused a small wind to stir up her bangs, but she barely noticed. She was too busy smiling in excitement at the sight of his lively energy. She didn't even wait for his toes to touch before she threw herself into his arms. Her eyes closed as she inhaled the scent of fields and sandalwood. Pressing her face into his neck, she clutched him tight to her, relishing the security and hope he gave her.

She never realized a bright aura surrounded them or they had begun to float high up into the air. She had felt lighter, but she thought it was connected to the perfect sense of happiness that consumed her. For the time being, she was content to be in his arms.

She didn't witness the crowd falling to their knees or the Zaibach guymelefs crumbling to dust.

* * *

.. 

"We wish to offer our blessings on your journey."

She smiled broadly, "Thank you, King Aston. I humbly accept your blessing and offer my own on your return home. Let me also say that I hope this treaty shall last many years."

The elderly king nodded, "As do I, my dear lady."

He quietly stepped aside and allowed his daughter and her bodyguard to speak. Millernia quickly dropped to her knee with Allen at her side. Hitomi smiled gently as the princess took a moment to bow her head. "As soon as you return, I will be expecting a royal invitation to visit."

"How could I not want to see your happy face?" Hitomi joked lightly, tears sparkling in her warm eyes. She looked to the knight. "I hope you will be accompanying the princess, Sir Allen."

"I shall be close to her side until her marriage in the spring," he replied, his eyes speaking the volume he was able to at the moment. "But I hope a friendship shall be long lasting between us beyond that time."

Hitomi understood and gave a small nod. "May your journey be well and our next meeting soon. May God watch over you."

Together the duo stood and followed the King of Austuria out of the half finished throne room. Just before he walked out the door, however, the knight hesitated and gave her final look back. "Thank you again for saving my brother and sister for me."

"You're welcome," she answered. "But it was not I who spared your siblings or gave Dilandau a second chance at life."

Allen nodded before departing with the waiting princess. Hitomi solemnly watched them exit. Weary as she was, she was still unhappy to see them leave her. They had been encouraging these last few weeks.

When the dust had settled on the battlefield, Hitomi had spent endless days trying to fix the hysteria of the kingdom. In the end, her list of completed tasks had cumulated into burial of the dead, imprisoning of Zaibach soldiers, rebuilding Fanelia, reaffirming alliance treaty, and glorifying the true god after she was announced as a goddess. The last item took most of her time just because of the display she made that day with her wings. She had also taken a great deal of time figuring out where had Sora had disappeared to and how Dilandau had lived without any memories of his violent past. Everything had been a surreal rush of events. It almost like she had dreamed the whole thing.

Doors creaked opened and Dryden took Millerina previous spot on the floor before the seer. Hitomi immediately put on another smile, "Even though we haven't known each other very long, I will be sad to see you gone as well."

"We shall meet again, Lady Hitomi," he grinned brightly, his hand crossing over his heart in a traditional farewell of his country. "You may count on it."

"I shall," she replied. "Blessings on your travel home."

"As to you," he answered while rising. "Until we meet again."

Then, the handsome merchant followed the same path of the Austurian princess. Hitomi lurched as he disappeared. Dryden had been the last of the alliance representatives to leave. She had already had her heart to heart with Merle so that meant she had only one thing left to do.

The seer swiveled around and smiled at the quiet king. Van smiled whimsically as he walked towards her. Taking her hand, he pressed up against her and brushed his forehead with hers. They closed their eyes and sighed. Her heart skipped when she felt his hot breath brushed over her collar bone. She bit down on her lip, "It's time."

His grip tightened on her, "Not yet."

She chuckled to cover the sob, "I'll be back soon."

He pulled back, his beautiful garnet eyes staring deeply into her jade ones. "You don't know how long it will take to convince them."

Pulling out of his arms, she slowly led him out of the castle. She knew he was partial correct, but she couldn't help the smile. "It will be God that will convince my people. Not I."

"How do you plan to explain to them that God destined Fanelia as their promised home?" he persisted. He wasn't doubtful of her duty or ability, but he wasn't ready to let go of her. They passed through the gardens and he knew time was spiraling out his reach.

Heading down the familiar stone path, the seer shrugged, "God will tell me when I get there. For now, I must have faith and do what is needed."

It wasn't long before they reached the temple. An unspoken commanded passed between them and together they walked hand in hand to spot behind the grand edifice. Tucked away in the dreary shadows, a small graveyard lied quietly at rest. Together they stood at the foot of a fresh grave. Turning to face her, he clutched her hands and rubbed his thumb over her knuckles. He stared down at her pale fingers in thought. "I shall wait for you till I die forever."

Her hand swept up his cheek to turn his attention back to her face. She grinned happily at his worried expression. "There's no need to wait that long. It is our destiny, together, to bring our people here."

Subconsciously, their heads leaned closer and brushed their noses together. His eyes grew heavy as he took a deep breath, "Be my wife."

Her breath hitched, "I would have it no other way."

The lips met for a searing kiss, their last farewell. Both wanted the feeling to last, but that meant never letting go. Her hand tangled into his dark hair as her love for him swelled. How had everything turned from being wrong to so perfect? Her people would be moving to Fanelia, the world had become peaceful, God had reclaimed his glory by her testimony, and she was marrying her one love when she returned from the Mystic Valley.

Hitomi quietly pulled away. Van inhaled deeply before whispering, "Hurry back."

Her hand pressed something cold into his palm. Looking down, he saw her red pendant. "You can give it back to me as a wedding present."

He solemnly nodded. In three small heartbeats, the young king lifted an energist to the sky and bright blue pillar crashed down on them. Their eyes never left each other as the seer was gradually lifted upwards. Tears were streaming down both their faces as their fingers slipped apart.

"Hitomi," he breathed as the light stole her away from his sight. The sky grew dull shortly after. "I'll wait."

And he did, but it wasn't forever.

* * *

_**A/N: It's finally finished. I hope you have enjoyed this chapter and this story. I'm very pleased with this story and happy I took the challenge to write it.  
**_


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